Once upon a time in San Francisco
by Marjorie Nescio
Summary: Helen doesn't want her former mother-in-law to enter her house. Mia refuses to visit a grandmother she has never seen before. Joe is amorous in an unexpected way. What is the Queen to do?
1. She's not coming here

Introduction

How many people would step into a golden cage? How many American teenagers would leave their republic for a small kingdom?

This story is about Princess Diaries as it could have been.

It features the Queen, Mia, Helen, Charlotte and Joe naturally. But this time, _he_ comes with a little twist (for which I got inspiration after an interesting discussion with Shakayla about role-playing).

There's someone else as well, a former Genovian who now lives in San Francisco.

The main characters belong to Meg Cabot and Disney, but you already knew that.

In case you are not interested in Princess Diaries stories only: I also wrote for Harry Potter, Sound of Music and Shakespeare and I wrote crossovers for Sound of Music/Inglorious basterds and the Big Bang theory/the Walking dead.

~ Once upon a time in San Francisco ~

Prelude

Limousines are not uncommon in San Francisco, but limousines with flags on the bonnet _are_. Some people briefly wondered what they could mean.

_One_ man recognised the standard of House Renaldi of Genovia.

When the pedestrian's traffic light turned green, said man only reached the other side of the road because he didn't fight the stream of bodies that walked him there. Like a robot he made it to his office, where he tried to enter using his library card.

´Mr Chanel?´

The man looked at the security man who'd appeared next to him.

´That's not your access pass sir.´

The man looked at the pass and nodded. He was unable to act.

´Are you all right? You don't look too good if you don't mind me saying say so. Want me to get a doctor for you? Or you wanna sit down? Come on, sit down right here, I'll get you some water.´

´No no, thank you. I'm fine. Just fine. I...´

The man searched his pocket and produced his access card.

´Here it is!´ he said with a fake smile.

_She_ was here! How _dare_ she ignore that San Francisco was _his_.

Chapter 1 - She's not coming _here_

The Queen of Genovia looked at the streets of San Francisco with eagerness and longing. _This_ was the city where her granddaughter had grown up. _These_ were the streets Philippe's girl was familiar with. Some of the people walking by might be her neighbours or friends.

The Queen made some notes: she'd seen a square that looked a little like a square in Pyrus and a building which bore a striking similarity to one in her capital.

She liked San Francisco for itself but mostly for the fact that this was Amelia's town.

_Aren't you forgetting something Clarisse?_ she told herself. _You also like it for the privacy it offers._

Her Head of Security was seated next to her. She inhaled deeply when she felt Joseph's eyes roam her body.

Some years ago she'd realised that she missed him when he wasn't around. After that their relationship had changed from being employer-employee to... some sort of friendship. An odd description true, but _some sort of_ covered both the inequality of their positions as well as the fact that their relation was bordering on far more than friendship. Friends don't kiss do they?

OoOoOoO

As Mia came sliding down, she heard something hit an empty can, followed by a stifled curse.

´Mum?´

´Oww!´

´Mum? What is it?´

´_She_ just called!´

´Who?´

´Her... your father's mother.´

´_Dad's_ mum?´

´The one and only!´

Mia fell into a chair.

´You don't like her do you?´

Helen shrugged away the feeling of being inadequate the call had given her.

´We didn't really get to _know_ each other.´

Mia nodded but she didn't buy it.

´What did she want?´

´She wants to visit us. Here.´

´So?´

Helen raised her hands.

´This is _our_ place!´

Fat Louis jumped on Mia's lap.

´Does she like _cats_?´

Helen recalled that all those years ago Philippe's visiting mother had not caressed Vixen, her long gone pet, even though the traitorous animal had seated herself next to _Her Majesty_.

´No, I don't think so.´

Mia made a face.

´We don't like people who don't like cats, do we, Fat Louie?´

The cat looked the other way.

´What do you think she wants mum?´

´I told you -´

´Yeah, to visit us. But why? Why now?´

´Well, after your father died, perhaps - ´

´She feels lonely. Is my grandfather still alive?´

´No, he isn't.´

´That's sad.´

´Yeah well,´ Helen responded, ´they didn't really have a loving relationship.´

´Maybe she wants to talk about his will?´ Mia said, jumping to her feet to go to school.

´We can take care of ourselves!´

´_OK_. It's not as if I _need_ anything from him. Or her. What's she like?´

´Oh gosh, I don't know. She's... icy. Cold.´

She felt uncomfortable referring to the nickname, for Philippe had hated it. He had assured her that his mother wasn't an Ice Queen. But Helen didn't want her daughter to feel for her grandmother.

Mia made a throatily sound.

´She never came to visit did she?´

OoOoOoO

The Queen swallowed when she put down the phone.

´Well, that went well.´

Joe, who'd been studying the garden, turned around.

´Miss Thermopolis just refused to receive me at her house. She must be acting this way for her daughter's sake.´

´It is no small thing to have the girl's future -´

Joe stopped talking when his employer cast him an impatient glance.

´My granddaughter has two paths to choose from and it is _my_ task to make her walk the road to the throne.´

´I know,´ Joe softly said. The warmth in his eyes earned him a small smile.

´I _know_ that Helen wants to protect her little girl,´ the Queen remarked, ´And I _understand_ that. Yet _I_ will fight for the Renaldi line to survive.´

She placed a hand on the back of her neck.

´You need a massage.´

´No I don't Joseph. I need an _heir_,´ the Queen replied, but when her Head of Security placed his hands on her shoulders, she didn't object.

Joe had given his liege neck and shoulder massages before (the next best thing to kissing her) and he had very much enjoyed the feeling of her body under his hands.

_Relax_, he would tell her, and loo and behold, she'd relax.

If he'd whisper _Turn you head to the left a little_, she'd do that.

_Move forward a bit_, he would instruct and she would comply without questioning.

It made him yearn for more.

She had so much to worry about, he told himself, he would enable her to let go of it all.

OoOoOoO

´My father's mother wants me to come and visit,´ Mia told Lilly.

´In Europe? Cool!´

´No, she's in town.´

´Oh. OK. Well, you never met her right? Must be nice to see her.´

´Think so?´

´Well, yeah.´

´Don't know. I mean, she never came to see me before right? And now she wants to meet me and I'm supposed to run? Besides, mum doesn't want her in our place.´

´Ah! So she's the evil mother-in-law huh? My mum gets red spots in her neck when dad's mum threatens to visit. Haha. Makes you worried for the future. Maybe boys should bring their mothers with them. You know, on dates.´

Mia laughed.

´I think that had _my_ mum seen _dad's_ mum on their first date, she'd have told him _adios_.´

´Bad _and_ wicked! Go and see her: it will be fun.´

´Right, what if she hates mum and wants to punish her by killing me?´

Lilly raised her eyebrows.

´You watch too many movies girl! You'll see: she feels sorry for never coming to see you before and she will _fall_ in your arms, _weeping_, saying how much you remind her of her son.´

´_You_ watch too many reality shows girl!´

OoOoOoO

After school Amelia found a stranger in the kitchen. Her mother and a young woman were talking about the weather.

´Hi,´ Mia said.

´Hello darling.´

As the woman turned to greet the girl, Helen made a gesture behind her back telling her daughter _Sorry, I couldn't help it._

´Hello Amelia. I'm Charlotte Kutaway.´

´It's Mia. Hi.´

´Your grandmother asked me to talk to you.´

Helen shot Mia an apologizing glance again. Mia figured that Charlotte had looked too nice to be sent away. She sat down at the kitchen table.

´Shoot.´

´Well - ´

´Are you a sleuth?´

The girl was enthusiastic about her idea.

´Uhm. No, I'm not.´

´Are you a friend of hers?´

´Uhm, well, no I can't say...´

Mia tilted her head. A cold woman without friends. Great. She sighed.

´What does she want?´

´She wants to talk to you.´

´She wasn't interested in me _before_. And now she's lonely or something and she wants to see me? It doesn't sound right does it?´

Charlotte paled with anger.

´Her... She thought you might say that. And she asked me to ask _you_...´ Charlotte addressed Helen, ´to tell your daughter about the arrangement that was made between you and Amelia's father.´

´I know,´ Mia said, ´Dad couldn't live _here_, and mum and he decided it would be for the best that he wouldn't visit because it would be confusing for me. Fine. But he wrote me for my birthday, you know, _she_ could have done the same.´

It took Charlotte effort to stay calm. She noticed that Helen avoided her gaze.

´I can't get into the details, for I am not familiar with them. You could ask your _grandmother_ though.´

´Why should I?´ Mia shrugged.

´To satisfy your curiosity?´

Charlotte sensed she had hit the nail. She quickly addressed Helen.

´Miss Thermopolis, could you please receive her here?´

´I haven't changed my mind since I spoke to her this morning.´

Charlotte swallowed and turned to Mia.

´Well, Amelia, to learn about your Genovian family, you are very welcome to come to your grandmother's place.´

Charlotte quickly noted down the consulate's address on her visiting card. Her function description read 'Genovian attaché corps', so it was perfectly safe to use it.

Mia ticked one foot against the other. She believed her mother didn't like the proposition. A thought came up.

´If she's got a house _here_, it's even more weird that she never came to visit, right?´

´It's not like that Amelia,´ Charlotte said, handing Mia her card. The girl accepted it but she didn't look at it.

´That's what _you_ say. Is she your boss or so?´

´Yes, she is.´

Mia sighed.

´Sweetheart,´ Helen said, ´if there's _anything_ you'd like to know about your father and his family, just ask _me_.´

Mia rose to her feet.

´I have homework to do now,´ she announced.

OoOoOoO

´Hey it's me. You'll never guess: my grandmother sent someone to talk to me. Can you imagine?´

(...)

´Yeah! It's weird! Why can't she come herself?´

(...)

´She didn't _mention_ a wheel-chair.´

(...)

´Well, it's not as if mum is gonna call the police -´

(...)

´Charlotte said I could come to grandmother's place-´

(...)

´That's the woman she sent. Some sort of employee of hers.´

Listening to her friend Mia studied the visiting card she'd been given.

´The address _is_ in a fancy part of town. You could be right: maybe she _is_ a wealthy businesswoman.´

(...)

´Haha, she hasn't even _met_ me Lilly, why would she pay for my baby?´

(...)

´Yeah, she _is_ eager to see me... But I mean, mum doesn't like her and I don't _need_ her money.´

(...)

´We have homework to do! We can't just sneak out... Can we?´

OoOoOoO

With Helen attacking a piece of canvas, Mia didn't meet objections when she told her that she was going over to Lilly's for a homework assignment.

OoOoOoO

When Charlotte left the Queen's office, Joe entered it.

´Miss Thermopolis hasn't changed her mind,´ Her Majesty replied to Joseph's unvoiced question.

She walked to a window.

´Charlotte noted down the address for her. Let us hope the girl gets curious. Charlotte will tell security to alert her in case a fifteen year old brunette _with lots of hair_ appears. ´

When she turned around she found Joseph standing close.

The warmth in his eyes brought a smile to her face. She cupped his cheek.

Joe held her wrist, his index finger caressing her hand.

´It will all turn out fine Reina mia,´ Joe assured her before turning his head to kiss her palm.

The Queen's free hand closed the curtain and then moved to Joseph's neck.

Tentatively pulling his head toward her, she whispered his name.

OoOoOoO

´I feel like Oliver Twist in a posh part of London,´ Lilly said.

´Yeah,´ Mia agreed.

The girls had taken their scooters and it had been ten minutes since they'd entered the rich part of San Francisco. Mia was sorry she'd brought her bag with her and even more sorry she hadn't left her books at home.

´We're almost there,´ she announced after checking Charlotte's business card. The friends continued their quest on foot.

´I hate to say it, but it _is_ nice here,´ Lilly commented the surroundings.

Mia replied that the houses _were_ beautiful but that _her_ house (and Lilly's as well) was a real _home_, whereas the people living here probably got lost all the time.

Lilly laughed: ´They will have to use walkie talkies. Where are you honey? I'm in the _pool room_ darling. OK honey, I am in the _sun parlour_ and I'm walking toward you _now_, I'll see you in five minutes.´

Mia grinned.

Seven buildings down the road she stopped in front of a gate.

´This is it. _The Genovian consulate_.´

Lilly whistled. She parked her scooter next to Mia's, against a pillar.

Mia swallowed and held the gate's spikes.

´It's odd you know, knowing that she's here.´

Lilly nodded. She discovered she had some chewing gum under her right shoe and she placed her foot on a horizontal bar of the gate to remove it. Mia's fingers traced the gate's 'G'.

_´Hello?´_

´Ah!´ the girls shrieked at the sound of the metallic voice.

_´Miss?´_

´Sorry!´ Lilly cried out.

She reached in her pocket, found a handkerchief, bent down and removed the unattractive candy from the gate. Mia got a fit of the giggles but was quickly cured when the gate slowly opened.

Both girls had seen too many films not to know what _that_ meant.

They looked at each other, grabbed their vehicles and _ran_.

OoOoOoO

A few hours after her lucky escape, Mia was doing the dishes with her mother.

´How did you and dad meet mum?´

Helen looked at her daughter, who was focusing on drying a glass.

She had told the story several times over the years, but she felt that _this_ time she'd had to be more careful. It was all right for Mia to be interested in her father, but she couldn't allow her little girl's curiosity to extend to _her_ too.

´Well,´ she started, ´I was at college and a friend of mine, Gabriella -´

´Giggling Gabriella,´ Mia smiled.

´Yeah, giggling Gabriella. You should have _heard_ her Mia, that girl would start giggling and whether you liked it or not, you just _had_ to join her. It was _horrible_! GG told me that there were some new students from Europe. She wanted to welcome them, but she needed back-up, so I accompanied her.´

Mia nodded.

´There was a Danish girl, two Irish boys and _one_ man. Your dad.´

Helen smiled. The memory was dear to her.

´He was tall and had broad shoulders. He was handsome, his voice was deep. He was... charming.´

´Plate mum!´

´Oh yeah, sorry.´

Helen handed her daughter the plate she'd washed.

´We started to talk and I was so flattered that this man liked me. Even though I'd confessed that I'd never heard of the country he was from. He just laughed.´

´No one in my class ever heard of Genovia either,´ Mia nodded, ´but their consulate is cool.´

´What?´

_Shit!_ Mia mouthed, closing her eyes at her own stupidity.

´Mia?´

´Lilly and me went to see the place this afternoon.´

Mia bit her lip. Helen stared at the sink.

´I see.´

´We were curious. You know...´ Mia shrugged.

Helen re-washed a beaker. Mia glanced at her out of the corner of her eye.

´Did you see her?´

´Nope.´

Mia reassuringly placed her elbow in her mother's side.

´Lilly used the entrance gate -can you imagine there's actually a gate? Really! Well anyhow, she put her gum on the gate. First it was under her shoe, real gross, and she needed to get rid of it, so... Right. Anyhow, there was this creepy voice from the speaker and then the gate opened, so we just _ran_ for it!´

Helen smiled.

´Course,´ her daughter said, ´later on – when we were catching our breath on a park bench, Lilly and I agreed that we should work or our condition, but not quite yet cause what's the fun huh, and then I figured that there hadn't been a need to run, cause dad's mother would have liked it when I'd dropped by. But it was really _freaky_ you know, the fence. And it was so... I kept expecting people to come out of their castles to tell us to _GO_.´

Helen liked the fence. She liked the creepy voice. She loved her Mia for being uncomfortable in a wealthy neighbourhood.

´Do you plan to go there again?´

Helen handed her daughter the beaker she'd washed so thoroughly.

Mia shrugged under her mother's gaze.

´Don't know. But you were telling about you and dad meeting remember?´

She helpfully added: ´He was charming...´

Helen's stomach felt like water but she lightly replied: ´He was _very_ charming. Before I knew it, I'd moved in with him.´

´Cool,´ Mia commented.

On their park bench, she and Lilly had talked about the ways their parents had met. Lilly's mother had bumped into her father in a bowling centre. The girls agreed that Helen's story was better. Well, the start was. Mia confronted her mother with an idea she and Lilly had come up with.

´Did dad's mother have something to do with the two of you breaking up?´

Helen licked her lips.

She wouldn't _entirely_ lie when she'd reply in the affirmative... It had been Philippe's sense of duty that had made him return to Genovia. And if his mother was _anything_, she was dutiful. She would have reminded him of what he owed his country.

Still, it would not be quite fair to blame her. Philippe had not been a sissy. He had made up his own mind.

Mia tilted her head while staring at her mother. To Helen's relief the girl decided that her thoughtful silence meant 'yes'.

´I see,´ Mia remarked, ´Why? Didn't she _like_ you? Was she one of those women who think no one is _good enough_ for her son?´

´If she _did_, I can't really blame her, for _I_ think no one is good enough for my daughter,´ Helen said.

She was proud of her answer. She hadn't lied and looking at Mia's face the girl was convinced that her grandmother was a bitch.

With a capital B.


	2. Show time at Doc's

Chapter 2 – Show time at Doc's

Mia whistled as she walked down the stairs. She had been dreaming about meeting her grandmother and she'd eloquently told her that _her mum_ was the _best mum in the world_. The old woman had started to object, but she had shushed her by telling her that her parents would have been _very happy_ together if it hadn't been for _her_ and that she, Mia Thermopolis, had no need to be acquainted with a heartless bitch. There!

Mia figured that it would be great if that dream could be repeated in real life (without the heartless bitch part), but she felt that her mum wouldn't like it if she went to see her grandmother, if only to tell her she never wanted to see her. Unless...

´Mum, what do you think of coming _with me_ to see dad's mother and then I'll tell her that I don't wanna have a relationship with her?´

Mia scratched her neck as she watched her mum get some milk out of the refrigerator.

Helen recalled the impression Philippe's mother made on others. Her Majesty, with her poise and charm, was a dangerous woman and she didn't want Mia to get under her spell.

´She'll probably call again today. Why don't I just tell her that you don't want to meet her?´

Mia _was_ curious to see her grandmother, even though she didn't want to get to know her, but hey, it didn't take a shrink to see that her mum was tense.

´OK,´ Mia agreed with a shrug and a smile.

Helen exhaled. It made her daughter grin.

´She was _that bad_ huh?´

Helen made a gesture with her hand and shook her head. Mia effortlessly translated it in 'you don't know _half_ of it'.

After Mia had left for school Helen felt inspired to make a water-colour.

It didn't take long before the phone rang.

Helen fearlessly told her former mother-in-law that Mia _didn't_ want to meet her. With the Queen's voice and diction making her feel like a twenty-something student again, Helen heard herself add that her daughter had dropped by the consulate the previous day and that she'd thought the better of it. There!

OoOoOoO

´Well Joseph, what did he have to say for himself?´

´He admits that there was a girl fitting the description Your Majesty. She was accompanied by another girl. He tried to contact them, using the intercom, but they ran away.´

The Queen shoved her chair backwards and walked away from her desk.

´That is rather disappointing, wouldn't you agree?´

She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

´At least he isn't one of _your_ men.´

She turned to face her Head of Security.

´Would you believe that when I invited the mayor of San Francisco to sit down, the so called butler sat down as well? Honestly. I've had Charlotte made arrangements for some members of the household staff to be flown in.´

She seated herself on a sofa.

´I _can't_ believe that that guard didn't do as he was told. I know he's used to merely guarding this building but that is no excuse.´

Joe, knowing what Amelia's visit would have meant for his Queen, inclined his head.

´It will not happen again Your Majesty.´

The Queen sighed. She knew it wasn't Joseph's fault. Besides, she didn't want to be angry with him.

´At least Amelia was curious,´ she said, brightening up: ´That is promising.´

´Yes it is,´ Joe agreed with a smile.

Her Majesty checked her watch and Joe, fearing she'd go back to work, remarked: ´Are you sure that you want your own people here Clarisse?´

The Queen reached out. Joe stepped toward her, taking her hand in his and kissing it. She gestured next to her and Joe, without letting go of her hand, sat down.

´I felt that a hired _American_ staff would not gossip in _Genovia_,´ the Queen replied, ´But I can't stand inadequate servants. As long as we keep to the privacy of my suite, there will be nothing to gossip about for anyone.´

´_Would_ they gossip?´

´_Would_ they?´

She cupped his cheek.

Joe inhaled. Her touch, her scent, the closeness of her body, her power, the warmth in her eyes: everything about her aroused him.

´They _would_,´ he said before bending toward her and gently capturing her neck in his hands, caressing the back side with his fingers.

He claimed her lips. Under his palms he could feel the drumming of her veins. It made him feel masculine.

After a while the Queen shifted and moved her hands from Joseph's back to his chest.

She applied some pressure.

´Sit still querida,´ Joe urged in a whisper, ´Relax.´

´We can't Joseph,´ she sighed, ´There's work to be done.´

She pushed against his chest again. He sat back.

The Queen swallowed when she saw the passion in his eyes.

´I need you to find out where Amelia goes to after school,´ she said, while removing faint trails of lipstick from her _friend´s_ face. Joe's hands now rested on her shoulders.

´You want me to go private eyeing?´ Joe said, his voice low, ´I'd rather privately eye _you_ my Queen.´

He expected his lady to blush, but she gave him a sensuous smile.

´So do _I_ Joseph, but as I said...´

´I'll find out.´

Joe bent over to whisper into his Queen's ear: ´Just as I intend to find out _all_ about you.´

´_All_ in due time.´

OoOoOoO

When their teacher told them that they could leave, Lilly picked up her conversation with Mia at the point where it had been broken off at the beginning of class.

´If you don't blame your dad for never coming to see you, why blame your grandmother?´

Mia shrugged: ´Dad didn't ignore me, even when he never came to visit. _She_ could do without _me_, _I_ can do without _her_.´

´Are you sure it's not about your mum? I mean you wanted to see your grandmother yesterday...´

´Don't see why I'd hurt mum by seeing dad´s mum. I changed my mind.´

´OK. You know, I figured that your grandmother might be working at the embassy. Maybe she's an ambassador you know.´

´Ha!´ Lana, who overheard Lilly, exclaimed. ´_Her_ grandmother an ambassador? Of Neverland I bet.´

The blonde's friends started to giggle and while following their unpopular classmates toward the school's exit, they made up other names. 'Freakany' caused Lana's posse to howl with laughter.

Lilly – feeling responsible for the teasing – challenged Lana to _spell_ ambassador.

´Ha! Mia's granny is probably some _cleaning woman_. Old and ugly, with a hunchback.´

Lana's reply made Mia smirk: the picture of her mum's nightmare having a hunchback was rather appealing.

´Whatever,´ she commented. She saw the disappointment in Lana's eyes but her triumph was somewhat ruined when someone bumped into her and she nearly fell over her own feet.

Lilly steadied her, while Lana's friends replayed the little scene.

´Why don't we go to Doc's?´ Lilly whispered.

Her brother had asked her to bring her friend and besides, the sight of her baby always made Mia happy.

OoOoOoO

´There she is!´ the Queen exclaimed: ´You were right Joseph!´

She didn't take her eyes off the front side of garage 'Autorepair by Doctor motors', but Joe saw her radiant smile in the window's reflexion.

He felt all warm inside.

´Shall we?´ he initiated.

The Queen inhaled deeply.

Joe watched her bosom rise. She was wearing a purple-grey shawl, to make up for her mourning attire.

When she nodded, he stepped out of the car (the fleet's smallest limousine) and walked around it to help his liege out. She was removing a tear from the corner of her eye.

´Clarisse?´

She shook her head, smiling reassuringly.

´Let's go and meet Philippe's girl,´ she said.

OoOoOoO

Doc walked toward the couple who'd entered his garage.

´Are you looking for directions?´

´No we are not, thank you.´

´You're from Europe,´ Doc concluded.

´Yes we are.´

´Looking for a car?´ Doc said, stepping nearer.

The male customer stepped forward as well.

´This Mustang's not for sale but the other cars are.´

´It's a fine car,´ the man said.

´Thanks. The girl over there intends to buy it. Sorry.´

Said girl was chatting with one of the boys from the band. He'd spotted the arrivals and he said something to his companion which made her look around in alarm.

OoOoOoO

Lilly, who'd visited the WC, returned to see Doc and Mia talk to two strangers. She walked toward them just in time to hear the lady (for Lilly admitted to herself that there was no other way to describe her) say: ´It is a car with a character.´

Mia looked at her baby and nodded.

´Yeah it is isn't it?´

The phone in Doc's office rang and he excused himself: ´Be right back.´

When he passed the band he signalled them not to start playing yet.

´Are you looking for a car?´ Mia said, eyeing both the lady and the man in black.

´Cause Doc's got more cars you know. This one's mine really. I mean, I didn't _buy_ it yet- ´

´But she _will_!´ Lilly interrupted.

´Message understood,´ the lady smiled.

Both Mia and Lilly couldn't help but return the smile.

´The moment she turns sixteen, she'll buy it, that's all,´ Lilly stated.

Mia nodded, resting her hands on her car just in case.

The lady suppressed a smile and Mia, caught, sheepishly shrugged.

´A Mustang... I used to _ride_ them,´ the lady said.

´Really? Like a horse?´ Mia said.

The lady smiled: ´Yes, a one h.p. Mustang.´

Lilly grinned. She was surprised when her friend asked the lady whether she had pets. Mia normally wasn't that talkative among strangers, but the lady was really... ladylike. She didn't seem to mind talking to teenagers and telling them about her dog Maurice even though she'd come here to get herself a car.

´That's a cool name for a dog,´ Mia said.

´What brand is it?´ Lilly contributed.

´Brand?´

The lady raised an eyebrow, betraying her amusement.

´It's a Poodle,´ she revealed.

Mia laughed: ´_Poodle_, that's such a funny word. But I bet he's real nice.´

´Yes he is.´

Lilly excused herself and walked toward her brother who'd been gesturing her to come. Behind her Mia chatted about Fat Louie.

´What is it Michael?´

´Who _are_ they?´ he wanted to know.

´Customers. They were interested in Mia's Mustang. But she told them it's hers.´

´Weird,´ Michael said.

´No it's not: you've done miracles on that car and -´

´No, look at them.´

Lilly turned around.

´They aren't the sort of people to buy a used car. I mean look at the lady.´

Lilly tilted her head. Michael was right. Though the lady seemed perfectly at ease in this garage, she definitely was out of place.

´She's got this very _British_ accent.´

´And she's elegant,´ Michael said. Seeing the look on his sister's face, he focused on his guitar.

As Lilly returned to her friend she noticed that the lady looked at Mia in a... cherishing way.

_Fuck no! _Lilly thought, _Mia's dad was forty-five... She can't be his mother. Right?_

She glanced at the man in black, to find him eyeing her. He shook his head ever so slightly. It was all the confirmation Lilly needed, but she'd seen cinematic godfathers eye people like that. She swallowed hard.

Mia noticed it.

´What is it Lilly? Looks like you've seen a ghost.´

Doc finally returned from his office. It gave Lilly the courage to ignore the man in black.

´You're her grandmother right?´

Mia started laughing, but she stopped doing so when the lady stared at _her_ intently, instead of telling _Lilly_ not to be silly. Her mouth fell open.

´Yes I am. Hello Amelia.´

´You serious? You're my _grandmother_?´ Mia shrieked.

Doc turned around to walk to the Flypapers. With a gesture of his head he made Lilly follow him.

The man in black moved nearer to the entrance.

´I've heard you came to see me yesterday,´ the lady said.

Mia nodded.

´I am _very happy_ that we finally meet Amelia.´

Mia nodded again, and then wanted to object. But the lady looked, well, _moved_ and all she could say was: ´_You´re_ my _grandmother_?´

´Yes I am.´

´No shit,´ Mia whispered.

´What?´

´Like you're really _my_ grandmother? My dad's mother from Genovia?´

The lady smiled warmly.

´Yes I am. And you are Philippe's girl.´

´Philippe...´

The lady nodded and walked around the car to stop in front of Mia.

´That was his name.´

Mia felt shy under her grandmother's brilliant smile. Shy and special.

´He loved you very much Amelia. It pained him that he couldn't be with you.´

´Yeah, mum told me.´

´I am glad for that. She sent pictures of you. We always loved to receive them.´

Mia shrugged and grinned.

´We?´

´Your father, your grandfather, your uncle and myself.´

´I've got an uncle?´

A customer had entered the garage and when Doc walked toward him, he suggested Mia that she'd use his office to talk to her grandmother.

´Thank you, that is very considerate of you,´ Mia's grandmother replied.

Doc smiled at her.

´Make your grandmother some coffee Mia.´

OoOoOoO

When Mia entered Doc's small office, she picked up a pile of old papers from a chair. Turning around she bumped into the silent man in black. He glanced at the pile, making a gesture that he wanted to take it from her, but she shook her head. After giving her a small smile and nodding at her grandmother he left.

Mia shrugged, figuring that nothing could be _more_ weird than her having a lady for a grandmother.

She knelt down to place the pile on the floor and lost her balance. Her grandmother elegantly knelt next to her to help her collect the newspapers.

´Doc's got instant coffee,´ Mia said when straightening up, ´is that all right with you?´

She wasn't surprised when her grandmother preferred to have tea.

Going through a drawer she found nothing but a pair of scissors, a pack of gum, half eaten pencils, tape, a tiny bottle from a pharmacy, bags with instant soup and order forms.

´I don't know if Doc's got tea bags...´ she said, panicking slightly because she couldn't even offer a simple cup of tea.

´I've got them with me,´ her grandmother replied.

´You do?´

´Yes. You never know when you might need a nice cup of tea.´

Mia grinned and checked Doc's beakers.

´Bring your own cup as well?´ she said, wrinkling her nose at the sight of the often used and barely cleaned crockery.

She showed one to her grandmother, who'd seated herself.

´Ah! Well, Mr Doctor seemed healthy enough.´

Mia giggled but under her grandmother's searching gaze she bit her lower lip.

Her grandmother smiled at her affectionately.

Mia dropped herself on a chair.

´So...´ she started, looking at the beaker she was still holding.

´Here we are. My guess is that there's a lot you want to ask me.´

Mia licked her lips and nodded.

´Like why did you never came to visit. Or you know, sent me a card or so.´

Her grandmother inhaled before answering her questions. Her explanation matched the one Mia's mother had given.

´I respected your parents' decision Amelia, we all did, but please believe me that it was hard for us _not_ to see you grow up.´

Mia glanced at her from under her eyelashes. Her grandmother's poise redefined the word _upright_. Mia stretched her arms so she could sit a little straighter herself, without her grandmother noticing it. Ignoring her grandmother's words, she said: ´Mum told me dad's father died.´

´He passed away several years ago.´

´Sorry.´

´Thank you.´

´And sorry for dad too.´

´Thank you Amelia. It saddens me that you will never get to know him. Your father counted the days until your eighteenth birthday. We all did.´

´Really? Why?´

´Your parents had agreed that once you turned eighteen your father and his family could contact you.´

Mia hooked her feet behind the chair's legs.

´Mum planned to tell me so later on I guess.´

´Of course.´

The band started playing.

´That's Michael's band. The Flypapers. He fixed my car for me. He's Lilly's brother. She's my friend, you know: the girl who was with me? You should meet them.´

Her grandmother cleared her throat.

´How old are you?´ Mia continued babbling.

´Uhm. I am sixty-six.´

´No kidding!´

Mia placed the beaker on the desk with a bang. Her eye fell on the water boiler.

´Oh shit: I forgot to switch it on...´

She reached out to correct her mistake, but was stopped by her grandmother's voice.

´Amelia, there's something I need to tell you. Would you accompany me to the Genovian consulate?´

Mia's grandmother looked at her entreatingly.

´I would very much like to show you a little bit of Genovia in San Francisco. And it is nice and quiet there.´

´All right,´ Mia shrugged, for she _was_ curious and – though she didn't admit it- impressed by the lady sitting in front of her. Her grandmother made her feel twice as clumsy as she normally did, but she sort of liked her, now how's that?

The phone rang.

´Whoa!´ Mia exclaimed, jumping to her feet.

´Mind if I answer it? For Doc?´

Her grandmother shook her head.

Mia turned her back at her.

´Hello this is Autorepair by Doc –´

(...)

´Hi mum!´

(...)

´Yeah, sorry for not telling you, but Lilly thought we'd go and see my car and listen to the Flypapers.´

(...)

´My cell's batteries went down.´

(...)

Mia looked over her shoulder, shrugging in the universal 'you know mothers'- way. She got a absent minded smile in reply.

Mia, listening to her mother, moved her head to the rythm of the music, marvelling at the thought that her grandmother was so unlike she'd pictured her to be.

´Say mum, guess who's here?´

(...)

´Dad's mum!´

(...)

After her mother had broken the connection, Mia stood motionless for a moment.

´_Bye,_´ she told the receiver.

She turned around to face her posh grandmother again. Weren't looks deceiving?

´Amelia, what I have to tell is of some importance. One of the reasons why you and your parents didn't form a family was that -´

´Let's see: my _mum_ didn't wanna go to Genovia?´

Mia's grandmother tried to meet her eye.

´Something like that. You must know...´

Mia stood with arms crossed.

There was a knock on the door, immediately followed by Doc's entrance. His eyes had turned into slices.

´Sorry ladies, I need my medication.´

He opened the desk's drawer and took out his eye drops.

´I'm sorry,´ Mia said, ´I've gotta go.´

Her grandmother rose.

´Amelia, please don't.´

´I've got homework. See you.´

Before the adults knew it, the girl had left.

´She's a _nice_ kid,´ Doc assured the lady while opening his bottle.

Suddenly Mia's head popped up again.

´I'll drop by tomorrow. Around noon. Bye.´

Doc grinned: ´See?´

OoOoOoO

When the Queen approached him in the privacy of her suite, Joe was sure she'd kiss him.

And she did. On his cheek.

When he turned his head to kiss her properly, she stepped back.

´Joseph...´

She took his hand and guided him to a sofa.

Once seated she shifted her upper body so she could face him. He turned toward her.

´I came here to meet my son's daughter and if it hadn't been for you...´

´You _would_ have met her.´

´Not in such informal surroundings. Which in retrospect might have been a good thing.´

´If I'd stopped the owner from entering, you could have told the princess about her heritage.´

The Queen had told Joseph about her conversation with her granddaughter on their way back to the consulate. She waved away his remark.

´True, I _had_ planned to inform her, but meeting a grandmother and being told about being a princess might have been a bit too much to handle for that sweetheart.´

The Queen sat in a relaxed way, though slouching still wasn't in her vocabulary. Joe wondered how long it would take to have her lose her composure.

´With no one knowing about my business here, it is not that bad that Amelia won't find out about her bond with Genovia until tomorrow.´

´So I managed to reassure you about her mother's call?´

The Queen laughed.

´Yes you did. My dear Joseph.´

She cupped his cheek.

´We both wanted to use this opportunity to expand our _friendship_, didn't we?´

Joe was taken aback and it showed.

´_I still do_,´ his beloved quickly told him. To prove so she trailed her fingers over his upper arm. Joe placed his hand over hers, steadying it.

´But to my shame I realised that I never told you how I feel for you.´

Joe shook his head.

´I have not told you either, but we both _know_ -´

´I _need_ to tell you Joseph,´ she interrupted him: ´I feel safe with you. I don't fear a thing when you are around for in so many ways you make me feel protected. And cherished...´ she ended in a whisper.

Joe stared into her moist eyes, bringing her hand to his heart.

´This is how you make me feel Clarisse. Alive.´

Silence.

From two pairs of lips a meaningful _I love you _was released.

A sigh later on they were exchanged in a passionate kiss.

It was broken by the Queen, who wanted to close the curtain of the window behind them. At first Joe simply took advantage of her shifted position by kissing her neck and caressing her back. But when his love reached out like a cat, Joe was reminded of one of his many fantasies about his Queen of hearts: one that had him push her over the arm rest of a chair to spank her delicious butt. He wouldn't hurt her (unless she deserved to be punished), but he _would_ drive her wild with want until she'd give him full control over her body.

The curtain closed, the Queen returned to her original position and lovingly looked at her Head of Security before continuing where she'd left: kissing and caressing. For now it was enough for Joe.

OoOoOoO

The arrival of the Queen of Genovia hadn't yet made it to the papers, but Mr Chanel had found out nonetheless that _that woman_ had taken possession of the Genovian consulate.

_How _dare _she come to San Francisco! How _dare _she!_

Mr Chanel wasn't able to think of much else. He reasoned that she wouldn't stay long, but every hour she was here was a smack in his face. He didn't care _why_ she was in town: he merely wanted to know when she would return to Europe. If she didn't leave soon, he'd have to purify his city himself.


	3. Fond memories and frightening prospects

Chapter 3 – Fond memories and frightening prospects

In the aftermath of the call Helen made to Doc's, Fat Louie sought shelter on a book-case.

After Helen calmed down she searched through some boxes until she found a picture of Philippe and herself. She removed a photo of her family gathered around Donald Duck from its silver frame so Mia's mum and dad could be displayed in an appropriate way. She wanted to make her daughter aware of how it _could_ have been: the three of them in America, living happily ever after.

Helen swallowed at the sight of the photo. It had been love at first sight, there had been picnics, long walks, great sex. Had she ever laughed as much as she had with Philippe?

He had loved her dearly. It hadn't been enough for him though.

Helen refused to listen to the little voice inside her head that said _you didn't want to give up _your _life either_.

If she was going to be honest to herself, she'd weaken. And if she'd weaken, the Queen would get the upper hand and she, Helen, might lose her daughter.

No: she and Philippe had had a wonderful future together until his parents had interfered. With Philippe's father gone, his mother was to blame for two.

OoOoOoO

´Hi mum.´

Helen, pretending she needed all her attention to dry some brushes, didn't look up.

´Hi little one.´

The girl put her bag down and caressed Fat Louie. Her mother using a pet name seemed to indicate that she wasn't angry any more. The subject of a certain person's visit to Doc's would have to come up sooner or later though... Mia decided _against_ mentioning her grandmother for she didn't want to enrage her mother again.

´Have you ever met dad's brother mum?´

Helen (to whom Pierre Renaldi was hardly a trivial subject) forced herself to eye her daughter, but Mia was making faces at her cat.

Helen took a deep breath.

´No I haven't. She told you about him?´

She eagerly awaited her daughter's reply, but Mia, squatting in front of Fat Louie, lost her balance.

´Ouch!´

The cat walked away from the girl. Mia got to her feet, wondering aloud whether she'd ever _not_ be clumsy. Her mother didn't respond, she just looked at her. Recalling her mum's question, Mia shrugged. ´Not really. I now know he _exists_... She said that it was hard for them, you know, dad and his parents and brother _not_ to see me grow up.´

Helen tilted her head.

´She also said that when I turn eighteen dad and his family could come and see me.´

´True...´

´So...´

Helen didn't reply instantly. Was her daughter telling her this to introduce the topic she, Helen, had been silent about for nearly sixteen years?

Or – please let it be true- hadn't her daughter learned about it yet?

Mia took a seat at the table where her mother was working, and Helen figured that her little girl seeking her company meant she wasn't angry with her.

´So... I reasoned that an eighteen year old woman is old enough to decide if she wants to meet her estranged relatives. I didn't see the point of mentioning it. I'm sorry if you feel that I _should_ have told you.´

Mia nodded understandingly.

´She was glad that you told me that dad loved me.´

´What was she thinking? As if I _wouldn't_ have told you!´

Mia noticed the frame (Helen had polished it) and she walked toward it.

´The two of you made a good couple mum.´

´We _were_ a good couple.´

Mia looked from the picture to her mother and back again. Helen pretended not to see that her daughter caressed the right side of the picture where her father was smiling at her.

´So, what else did the two of you talk about?´

´Well, at first I didn't know it was her and we talked about my car and about pets and then suddenly Lilly cried _You're her grandmother!_´

Mia put the picture down and walked back to her unsmiling mother.

´And then Doc said we that could use his office to talk and she said the stuff about dad loving me and how hard it was not to see me and that she wanted to tell me something important.´

Helen's heart skipped a beat. Mia sat down.

´And then _you_ called and I went home.´

Helen adjusted her pony-tail. Her hands trembled.

´Sweetheart, I'm sorry for having been so harsh on the phone.´

She walked around the table and – standing behind Mia - kissed her daughter's head.

´It's just that... I still _can't_ believe that she had the _nerve_ to follow you around,´ Helen explained, her hands on her girl's shoulders.

She inhaled deeply.

´What did you think of her Mia?´

While Mia thought of a reply, Helen got them their favourite cookies. When she offered her daughter one, Mia said: ´Lilly told me that Michael said that grandmother was elegant.´

_The boy's half a century younger than she is! Is _no one _safe for that woman?_ Helen inwardly fumed. Feeling her daughter's eyes on her, she got herself a cookie.

´Did she give you a hug?´

Mia shook her head. The lack of physical contact hadn't bothered her, but perhaps it _was_ weird? Most long-lost grandmothers would cry and hold their granddaughters in their arms, right? She chewed on her cookie.

´Lilly and I agreed that she was a lady.´

´Is that a nice way to call her _icy_?´ Helen suggested with a small smile.

Mia recalled her grandmother's warm gaze but she _trusted_ her mother who was sweet and open minded. Her mum barely disliked anyone. What if she, Mia, had been mistaken about her grandmother? She remembered what she'd thought after her mum's phone call: looks can be deceiving. People can act.

´She _did_ make me feel clumsy,´ she offered.

Helen gave her a _I know!_ look.

Mia grinned. Helen, fearing that her daughter would say something adult like _but _she _can't be blamed for that, can she?_ added fuel to the fire.

´The way she sits and walks and talks all say _I'm not like you._´

´She's not like me _at all_!´ Mia agreed enthusiastically. ´I mean, I never saw _anyone_, not even a marine you know, what you always see in the movies, those guys that can stand at attention for hours, or like a ballet dancer, who always have their backs so straight and their heads - ´

She laughed when her mother held her head high and turned her eyes toward the ceiling.

´Yeah, like that. I mean, I think dad's mum can't even slouch. Did dad sit like that too?´

´Not at all! Your father knew how to _relax_.´

Mia grinned and got herself another cookie.

´Lilly figures that grandmother is an ambassador,´ she said while picking up crumbs from the table.

´See what clothing and an attitude can do?´

Mia nodded: ´But being an ambassador suits her in a way.´

Fat Louie jumped on the table. Helen absent mindedly picked him up and put him on the floor.

´She's got a Poodle,´ Mia remembered. She casually dropped the crumbs for her cat to eat.

´A Poodle huh? Aren't those very _obedient_ dogs?´

Mia shrugged.

´Oh, I almost forgot: there was a silent man in black with her. Weird!´

Helen pretended not to understand: ´A companion? Why didn't she properly introduce him?´

´Beat me. Aren't you curious what it is she wants to talk to me about? You think it's dad's will?´

Helen inhaled.

´_I know, I know,´ _Mia quickly added: ´we don't _need_ his money. And if she tells me it's _that_, I'll say no! But what if he wanted me to have his favourite book or his photo album or like his diary? That would be nice to have...´

Mia gave her mum her most endearing smile.

Helen found herself incapable of acting. She just stared at her hands.

´Mum?´ Mia urged.

´I... I... I'd rather have you n- not see her again.´

Mia wiped the lenses of her glasses, using her skirt as a cleaning cloth.

Helen fiddled with her necklace and cleared her throat.

´Shall I order our favourite pizza Mia?´

OoOoOoO

Helen had been tossing and turning in her bed and she had gone to the kitchen hoping a beaker of hot cocoa would make her sleep. As she waited for the milk to get warm, she found herself on a trip down memory lane.

...

After dating Philippe for a couple of weeks he'd asked her to move in with him. By way of reply Helen had thrown some clothes and brushes in a bag. She would never forget the smile that had graced her lover's face. He'd reverently kissed her head and then - oddly enough - had asked her if she'd ever noticed a couple of men who were often near him. As a matter of fact Helen _had_.

´Are you hiring those guys to make you look even better?´ she'd joked.

´No, they are my bodyguards.´

After Helen had recovered from a fit of laughter, her lover had assured her that he wasn't fooling her around. Helen had then figured that her dear Philippe was a major witness in a trial. She'd voiced her fears. Philippe had shaken his head and Helen, relieved that Philippe's life was not at stake, had winked and said that in _that_ case he must be a millionaire. She'd immediately covered her mouth. How could she be so insensitive?

´Have you been kidnapped in the past? Or your relatives?´

´No my sweet. We haven't.´

He'd shown her his seal ring.

´This is the crest of my House.´

´Your _house_? Are you a nobleman or so?´

´I'm a prince.´

Before Helen had the chance to reply, he'd told her that Genovia was a Kingdom and that his father was the ruling monarch. He hadn't made a big deal out of it and therefore nor had she. She'd moved in with him that very evening.

Bit by bit Philippe had told her more about his back-ground, his small family and the happy childhood he and his older brother had had. It was clear to Helen that Philippe wanted to return to Genovia and that he wanted _her_ to come with him. After lengthily consideration she'd thought they could make it.

She loved Philippe and he loved her. A country between Spain and France would have a great climate. The influence of La France would make the Genovians love food and love as well as living in a relaxed way. Philippe's reassurances that he wanted their children to be raised in a normal way, and that he was sure she could continue to be an artist, had made Helen feel that she was ready to be introduced as Philippe's fiancée.

When Philippe had written his parents that he'd found the woman of his dreams, Helen started to get doubts: how could she say yes to such a life changing event when the only princesses she knew were called Snow White and Aurora? Philippe, understanding her worries, had asked her if she would like to talk to his mother.

She'd thought it over and decided that it was a good idea. She'd refused to go to Genovia though. The Queen had to come to the United States. Philippe had been impressed when his mother had told him she could spend three days with them on short term notice, and Helen had smiled appreciatively, though she'd failed to see what was so special about it.

Helen had gotten used to Philippe having a cleaning maid twice a week, and since the woman always worked her way through the house when they were at college, the place seemed to clean itself as if by magic. Helen, who'd never wanted to become a housewife, was perfectly fine with it. A day before Philippe's mother had arrived, the main guest room had been readied by the Queen's personal maid who was disgustingly servile. The house was checked again by one of the Queen's bodyguards and all this fuss, not to mention the arrivals calling her boyfriend _Your Royal Highness_ and her _Miss_ and Philippe finding that normal, had made Helen edgy.

When Philippe, a smiling son, happy to see his beloved mother again, had walked said mother into their living room, Helen had expected to see someone like herself. Had Philippe not told her they would get along? Had he not said that there were similarities in their behaviour?

The lady entering the room didn't wear a long hand painted skirt, nor did she have earrings that softly tickled her shoulders. The lady entering the room wore a Chanel suit, and she didn't resemble the picture of a spontaneous woman at all. She was beautiful, elegant and in control. Prim, proper and gracious.

The lady had greeted her. Prim, proper, gracious, the voice of an angel.

The loving way Philippe had looked at his mother had made Helen feel like an outsider. And worse: despite seeing her paintings against the walls and Vixen sitting on a chair, Helen had felt like a visitor.

Even before Philippe's mother had seated herself Helen had dreaded the long days to come and yet... for reasons unknown to herself she'd _longed_ for _Her Majesty_ to be arrogant and demanding.

She'd asked whether the plane had been very crowded. The Queen had kindly replied that she'd come with Genovia One, the governmental aircraft. Helen had felt silly. Philippe had taken over the conversation by inquiring after some members of the household staff. Helen had loved Philippe even more for caring for these people though their titles didn't make sense to her. After a brief mother-son chat, Philippe had proudly gestured toward Helen's art, thinking aloud that Helen would _always_ be able to paint. When the Queen had confirmed this, Helen had enthusiastically answered her questions about her work. The Queen had suggested her son to give up his patronage of the Pyran Society of Painters and Sculptors in favour of his bride. Philippe, putting his arm around Helen's shoulders, had figured the Society would benefit from that and Helen had heard herself ask her first _princess duties_ related question.

Many more had followed.

Philippe's mother was a gifted speaker who'd mixed boring princess duties (attending soirées) with interesting tasks (presiding art commissions).

When the Queen had told her about an ordinary day at court, Helen had sighed and rolled her eyes at her lover. Philippe had given her a continental kiss on her hand and he'd winked at her. It had made her smile. While Philippe was preparing them lunch, his mother had softly said: ´Helen, I can imagine that the way we live seems alien to you. But you will have Philippe's full support and love. Isn't that what it is all about?´

That night Helen had woken up. Not finding her lover in their bed she'd gone downstairs. On the landing she'd heard Philippe's voice and it had stopped her in her tracks.

´Are you still at work Mother?´

´I only started two hours ago.´

´After _we_ went to bed.´

He had chuckled.

´Afraid you'd scare Helen eh?´

´Don't say _eh _darling,´ the Queen had said.

By the sound of it she'd been whirling her tea. Philippe's mother drank _a lot_ of tea. How her bladder could cope with it was beyond Helen.

´Philippe, when will you tell her about Pierre?´

´How did you – don't bother. You read between the lines I guess.´

´I think _she_ thinks that being a _princess_ means that once in a while she'll accompany you to dull events after which the two of you will happily return to your _house_.´

Helen had inwardly groaned: how did she know that?

´Do you think she can deal with it? Being part of it I mean.´

´She'll have a loving husband. That's a good start. The best start.´

Silence.

´But?´

´I will _not_ say 'but'. I _will_ say that she has to move to another country and learn French and Spanish... That is hard enough as it is. She will also have to get accustomed to our social rules and etiquette... Helen is intelligent and down-to-earth: she will need time to adjust to being part of the royal family. She will never be anonymous again, she will be criticized... And so will you.´

Helen had tiptoed to their bedroom, worrying about having to learn two foreign languages and dealing with twenty-five pieces of cutlery and goodness knows what else. She'd played disastrous dialogues in her head to defy criticism (Nasty Person: she can't even hold a spoon! Princess Helen: I know how to shove it down your throat!) and she hadn't fallen asleep until Philippe had held her in his arms again.

The next day Philippe had revealed that he was in fact the heir to the throne.

...

As she added cocoa and some sugar to her beaker, Helen acknowledged that no matter what _Mia_ would do, Her Majesty wasn't going to retreat when the future of _House_ _Renaldi_ was at stake.

´Making cocoa?´

Helen shrieked.

´Sorry, didn't wanna scare you,´ Mia said, yawning, ´Couldn't sleep either huh?´

´No Pumpkin,´ Helen admitted.

She prepared a beaker for her daughter as well, glad to have boiled enough milk.

They drank their hot drinks in silence except for giggling at each others moustaches.

This was it. This was what it was all about: being happy about small things. Being together. Mia would go to college and move away, but Helen would know she'd still be the same Mia. Mia with her unruly hair who slouched on a couch. Mia who wore Bart Simpson night shirts. Mia who felt uneasy in a posh neighbourhood. Clever spontaneous Mia who'd be caged if Clarisse Renaldi had a say in it.

Helen suddenly knew what to do.

´Sweetheart, about the thing your dad's mother wants to talk to you about...´

´You know what it is?´

´Remember that man in black you told me about? At Doc's?´

Mia nodded, not knowing what to think.

´My guess is that he's her bodyguard.´

´See! Ambassadors have bodyguards!´

Helen cleared her throat and told her daughter about her _father's_ bodyguards.

´Are they _that_ rich?´

´That's what _I_ figured too. I asked your father about it. You know what he did?´

Mia, exited, shook her head.

´He told me that he was a prince.´

Mia laughed. Helen didn't join her.

Mia used her tongue to remove some chocolate from the corner of her mouth, while studying her mum. She tilted her head. She playfully raised her eyebrows, encouraging her mother to admit she was kidding. Helen swallowed.

´No shit!´

Helen sat forward, reaching out her hands. Mia sat backwards.

´He was a _prince_? Mum?´

Helen shrugged, then massaged the back of her neck.

´A prince? Of Genovia? Why didn't you _tell_ me?´

´Well - ´

´Does that mean that I'm like a _princess_?´

´Well...´

´A prince? Mum! This is _big_! Why didn't you tell me before?´

´Would you have _wanted_ to be a princess?´

Mia put her elbows on the table and rested her face in her hands.

´Remember the _princess dress_ your aunt Sofia bought you?´ Helen said.

She got a muffled ´It was awful!´ in reply.

Helen sat down next to her daughter, caressing her hair.

´Mia, we have our lives _here_. You're a citizen of a wonderful land, what would have been the point of knowing your father was a prince in some far away country?´

Mia sat up. She repeatedly 'finger-fed' herself chocolate from her beaker and she remained silent all the time. It unnerved Helen, but she didn't dare to speak. Just when she was about to reach out to get the cookie-jar, Mia spoke.

´So _that's_ the important thing dad's mother wants to talk about huh?´

Helen was prevented from replying when Mia continued: ´I doubt she will though. After our meeting she'll probably think I'm not _suitable material_ for the daughter of a prince.´

Helen, who wouldn't utter a word that might push Mia into the prison that was Genovia, couldn't bear the thought that her girl thought she was unsuitable. The anger she felt was welcomed and nourished, for it helped her fight the director of prison.

´Sweetheart, princesses are waving creatures who can only think of clothes. You are so much more, so much _better_ than that. You're smart and sweet and funny and witty.´

Mia giggled shyly.

´But _dad_ wasn't shallow, was he?´

´Your father was a _wonderful_ _intelligent_ _kind_ man. He was a prince charming,´ Helen said with a loving smile.

´The exception to the rule huh?´

´Absolutely!´

´Is _grandmother_ someone who only thinks of clothes?´

´I don't know her that well,´ Helen started diplomatically, ´but you've seen the way she dresses.´

Mia shrugged and sighed.

´I kinda promised her I'd see her tomorrow,´ she admitted.

She checked the clock, not feeling like glancing at her mother.

´Today. What do you think? I can give her a call saying I know what she wants to talk about and to say that _I'm_ not interested?´

´She'll just have to accept that.´

Helen kept her expression neutral, but inwardly she cheered. Her Majesty the Queen of Genovia would not retreat, but Mia _wasn't interested_ and she'd given up on seeing her. It was the best start of the whole _capture the princess campaign_ Helen could wish for.


	4. A lovers' quarrel

Chapter 4 – A lovers' quarrel

The wine was good, though Joe would have preferred to drink it from his Queen's mouth instead of from a glass.

In between taking small sips it was sweet Amelia here and spontaneous Amelia there. Joe smiled and nodded in reply to what Clarisse said.

For years now Clarisse was the centre of Joe's daydreams, and with her being so near, in this private setting, he drifted away.

Flat on her back wearing undergarments, pushed against a wall in a low-cut ball gown or on all fours in Chanel: his love would be anxious or exited for what he'd have in mind with her, and she'd _always_ comply. Sometimes he'd use toys such as rope or handcuffs. She always played along.

´Joseph? What do you expect of this?´

Joe sensed that the subject had changed.

´This?´

´Us. Our relationship.´

´What do _you_ want from it mi amor?´

She smiled warmly at his endearment.

´To have a mate. To love. To be loved.´

Joe moved a little closer to her on the large sofa.

´It is not going to be easy Joseph. We will barely be _together_ and discretion will _always_ have to win from lust.´

Joe swallowed hard at hearing her say ´lust´. From _her_ lips it sounded erotic.

She cupped his cheeks to make up for her matter-of-fact words. Joe grabbed her wrists, brushing his lips over them.

´We are together _now_ querida.´

´_W_hat do _you_ expect of this?´ she repeated.

´All of you,´ Joe growled.

He looked up. Her eyes held promises, not the shyness he'd expected to find.

In a swift movement that took his lover by surprise, he had her on her back, her wrists caught above her head by one of his hands, his other hand caressing her side.

´I want you to relax. Under my hands, under me,´ Joe said, bending over his beloved. His breath tickled her collar bones. He heard her sigh.

´Relax, give up control to me. For I love you and you trust me.´

Joe's fingers and lips simultaneously started to please his lover.

A throatily sound escaped Clarisse. It was music to Joe's ears.

He released her wrists and swallowed hard when his lover kept her arms above her head.

´Good!´ Joe whispered in her ear before nibbling her ear-lobe.

´Keep them there my Queen.´

He kissed her neck, then move a little lower.

To Clarisse his voice simply was one of the things that pleased her senses. She hadn't registered what he'd said after _all of you_, and she wasn't aware that he added: ´Unless you want to be punished.´

With difficulty Joe pulled his lips away from her smooth warm skin to give her a reassuring glance after his 'threatening' words.

Looking at him lovingly, she dragged his head toward hers to kiss him.

´As you wish,´ Joe growled. Clarisse smiled at him, expecting to feel his lips on hers. To Joe her smile meant she would comply. Dragging her up (causing her to cry out in surprise) and turning her around he placed her front against the back of the sofa, putting a knee between her legs. He was aroused and kneading her buttocks (to make them more sensitive for the spanking he had in mind) didn't help to diminish his want.

Placing her hands on the sofa's head rest to steady herself, Clarisse wondered whether she'd missed something. Her position, with her behind forced backwards, was unusual, but Joseph's hands on her sensitive skin (sensitive even through her clothes) made her feel sensual.

Joe bent forward from the waist and whispered into her ear: ´I'll give you what you want querida.´

´A kiss is what I want,´ she replied, looking over her shoulder.

Joe reasoned that she wasn't ready to receive a spanking just yet.

Well, there was something else he wanted to do: he cupped her bosom. It made both lovers inhale sharply.

For a while he kissed her neck while relishing the feeling of her heavy breasts in his palms. Then he started teasing her nipples, filling her ears with endearments. When he felt that she was giving in to the sensations he created, he huskily said (alternating words with kisses): ´You shouldn't feel... bad about it. It's all right... to have that need. Let me fulfil it for you... Enjoy yourself... You said you trust me. Prove it... I will give you... what you asked for.´

´Hmmmm.´

´You trust me don't you?´

´Hmmm.´

´Clarisse?´

With great self command he stopped touching her. He rested his hands on the sofa, capturing her luring body between his arms.

´Clarisse?´

´Don't stop,´ she sighed.

She used one hand to unbuttoned the top buttons of her blouse. Joe didn't notice it: he concentrated on _not_ pushing his bulge against her behind.

´You trust me don't you?´

´You _know_ I trust you Joseph.´

´I will give you release.´

She took his hands one by one and brought them to her breasts.

´I want to help you to feel, not think... To forget your responsibilities.´

Silence. She enjoyed Joseph's caresses and wondered why he was talking about work. She was rather unwilling to talk but he seemed to expect an answer.

´I _do_ take time off,´ she softly said.

Joe chuckled: she still wasn't going to admit what she wanted. She deliberately misunderstood him.

She placed a hand on his upper leg, squeezing slightly. It took a moment before Joe could reply to her remark.

´But you're always the _Queen_. Wouldn't you just want to be a _woman_? A woman who can leave things to others?´

His touch made her shiver.

´I leave many things to others,´ she slowly replied.

´No, you _order_ others to do things for you. Wouldn't it be nice _not_ to have to order people around?´

Clarisse, as aroused as she was, was puzzled by Joseph's words.

´Do you mean – hmmmm - when they will just _know_ what to do?´

Joe flicked his index fingers over her nipples.

´Oh,´ she moaned, adding: ´You're saying that _you..._ just know... what to do?´

´I know _exactly_ what I want to do with you querida.´

He placed feather-light kisses on her jaw. When she turned her head to kiss him, his lips sought her neck.

´But what I was... going to say is... that I'd like you to experience... how it feels... to let go...to _hand over_ control.´

OoO

Joe recalled one of his favourite fantasies: His Queen and he are lying down in a forest, kissing and caressing. They can't be seen even if someone should be standing right next to them: in a fantasy anything is possible.

He has a gag with him and he tells her to wear it, saying that if she won't, he'll spank her. She objects to the toy so he raises his eyebrows twice which makes her sit on knees and elbows to receive her punishment. He gives her a spanking that makes her behind blush. After he is done, just as she elegantly stretches out on her stomach, they hear voices. She looks over her shoulder, wide-eyed. He kindly whispers that no one will be able to spot them. She relaxes and then (tracing his fingertips over her behind) he whispers in a stern voice that by-passers _will_ be able to _hear_ them. He turns her around and positions himself between her legs. He softly says: _I will fuck you. Right. Now_. Her expression tells him that she knows that he means it. She also realises that she won't be able to keep silent when he's thrusting into her. He suggests her to use the gag and she surrenders.

OoO

At the moment gagging would be too much to handle for his beloved.

´I will give you what you want,´ Joe softly repeated. One of his hands moved lower to knead her behind.

´A _kiss_ is what I want.´

´Second thoughts my love? Would you rather receive your punishment later on?´

Clarisse processed his words.

´What?´

´You can leave it all to me,´ Joe continued his train of thought, ´You want to give up control and you're safe with me. I won't tell a soul that I'm in charge, that I punish you if need be.´

Joe was taken aback by the look Clarisse shot him over her shoulder. He moved backwards but he regretted doing so for she took the opportunity to shift and sit down.

With one leg tucked underneath her and an arm casually lying on the back rest, her position was informal. But despite that and regardless of the fact that her blouse was partly unbuttoned, she sat there as if she were sitting on her throne. Joe regained the initiative by telling her what he'd said before: that it was all right to feel the need to give up control. To make it easier for her he provided an explanation as well.

´So _you_ believe that because _I_ always have to be in charge, _in control_, it is my _desire_ to _surrender_ myself completely?´ she summarized after he was done talking.

´I couldn't have voiced it better myself mi amor,´ he said, caressing her calf.

She swung her legs of the sofa and rose. Taking their glasses with her she walked to a small drink cabinet to pour them more wine. Joe watched her every move. When she glanced at him and saw the tender way he looked at her, her eyes gained warmth.

´Joseph,´ she said as she handed him a glass, ´what makes you think that I feel the need to hand over control?´

Joe grabbed her hand and kissed it.

´Isn't it natural? People who are in charge all day long often long to yield power.´

´Who says that applies to me?´

´You're a _Queen_. I _anyone_ would feel that need... It's natural.´

She smiled. Joe -unaware of the Cheshire quality of her expression- thought it meant that she would finally admit her needs.

´Is this your way of saying that _you_ want to yield power Joseph?´

´Me?´

Clarisse seated herself.

´Yes_, you _are a Head of Security. When following your reasoning -´

Joe shook his head: ´I can handle it.´

Her smile faded away.

´And you like to think that _I_ can't?´

´Querida, when I was talking about yielding control the delicious scent of your arousal filled my nostrils and warmed my blood.´

Joe's logic didn't impress his beloved.

´Joseph, I barely acknowledged what you were talking about. Combined with you caresses you could have read me the _dictionary: _the result would have been the same.´

A new fantasy presented itself to Joe.

OoO

She's kneeling on a sofa, her front against its back. He kneels behind her, kissing, caressing, licking. In between he reads aloud a text that is projected on a wall in front of them, starting with _A, the first letter of the English alphabet_. After half a page he lowers a hand from her breasts to her abdomen to her upper leg. He then moves up again underneath her skirt. She's not even moist.

_This proves I'm right. Say it. Admit it Clarisse. _

She's unwilling to do so. A blush of shame colours her cheeks. It moves Joe but he sternly says: _You said you trusted me. You lied to me. How can _I_ trust _you_? _

_Joseph, this is hard for me. _

_I know that mi amor. But unless you're going to admit that you desire to yield control, I will have to leave. _

He rises. She whimpers at the loss of physical contact. He takes a few steps toward the door.

_Joseph! Please... _

_Say it. _

_T – take o- over con-trol. _

He returns to the sofa.

_Of what mi amor? _

_Of my body_, she says in a faltering voice.

He positions himself behind her again, his hands firmly on her hips. _I will querida. Relax: I will be in charge. And I will worship you. But you understand that you need to be punished for not being honest, don't you? _

She swallows.

_I will start by spanking your delicious butt. _

One of his hands travels down and up again. _I. Was. Right. Move your skirt up Clarisse. _

OoO

´- fectly fine with being in control. It doesn't _overwhelm_ me.´

Joe didn't miss a beat: ´Have you ever truly thought about it until now?´

´Have _you_? You interrupted me when -´

´Because I don't _need_ to think about it. I _know_ it,´ Joe smoothly said.

´You are contradicting yourself Joseph,´ she said, placing her glass on the coffee table in front of them.

´You said _you_ don't have to give it a thought, yet you reason that _I_ can't give a proper answer because I never contemplated it. I take _your reply_ for granted for you're an intelligent man who knows what he wants, yet you treat _me_ as if I'm an imbecile who's fooling herself.´

The fantasy of Clarisse holding her skirt up her hips made it hard for Joe to truly listen to what she was saying. When she finished speaking he simply concluded that she was withdrawing into herself instead of giving in to abandonment.

´Are we back to Queen and Head of Security?´

She sighed and shook her head.

´No Joseph. Though you seem to listen to the Queen much better than you listen to Clarisse.´

´What if _you_ don't listen to your needs?´

´I'm here _with you_ Joseph! I _am_ listening to my needs! And instead of giving and receiving pleasure, I find myself listening to you telling me that I don't know what I need!´

The only reply to her words was the ticking of a clock.

She sighed heavily.

´It is past midnight,´ she said, ´I think we'd better talk about this later on.´

Joseph remained motionless for a moment and then rose.

´Goodnight Joseph.´

He left.


	5. School becomes a battleground

Chapter 5 – School becomes a battleground

After leaving his Queen in her suite, certain lines from their conversation echoed in Joe's head.

_I'm here _with you _Joseph!_

Her tone of voice had betrayed that she was frustrated, well fine: she wasn't the only one.

His memory skipped a line to: _And instead of giving and receiving pleasure..._

Coming from _her_ lips it was a sensual phrase.

A series of pleasurable images played fast forward in Joe's mind as he descended the stairs and crossed the dimly lit hall.

When he passed the Queen's state portrait, he stopped in his tracks.

_I find myself listening to you telling me that I don't know what I need!_

He _had_ more or less claimed that he, unlike her, knew what she needed.

The portrait seemed to observe him.

Joe playfully lifted his eyebrows: ´You always _appear_ to be sure of what you want. But do you _truly_ know what pleasures you need Querida?´

Feeling content with himself he continued to check the building. His self righteousness disappeared when he spotted his reflection in a window.

_Are we back to Queen and Head of Security?_

_No Joseph. Though you seem to listen to the Queen much better than you listen to Clarisse._

Looking back he remembered that there had been a hint of despair in her voice. She'd been right: he hadn't listened to her, he'd been enchanted by his fantasies.

Not wanting to think about his behaviour or about what he _could_ have been doing right now, he focused on making sure that all was safe in the consulate.

OoOoOoO

Instead of feeling intense pleasure the only feeling Clarisse was aware of was anger.

Today she had finally met her granddaughter and the day could nay _should_ have ended with her and Joseph...

Silent waters...

How could he even _think_ that she wanted to be submissive! Hateful word. As if she were a _doll_. Lie back and think of nothing! _That I punish_ _you if need be! _

She sat up. How often had he thought about that? And why?

She threw back her blanket and went to drink some water. The scent of the cedar and olive oils she'd used in her 'before dinner bath' lingered in her bathroom. Her eye fell on the silk and lace nightgown she'd planned to wear this night.

She had changed into a cotton pyjama jacket instead. It had felt like a defeat.

Leaning against a wall she sipped her water.

He'd left without a word, without even a glance... Hadn't he believed her when she'd denied his suggestion that they were back to being employer employee? Or had he just wanted her to think so? If _anyone_ knew how to play her, it was Joseph Romero...

Perhaps he had simply not known what to say?

When she lowered her glass she accidentally brushed a nipple. She shivered, remembering all too well the feeling of Joseph's hands on her body. She drained the remainder of the water in the sink.

Back in her bedroom she opened a curtain to gaze at the sky. There were no clouds and the many sparkles high above her calmed her down. With the future of her country and her House at stake, she couldn't allow herself to be distracted by worrying about Joseph. She and he would settle things between them... or not...

She bit her lower lip, then inhaled deeply.

She had dreamt of Joseph becoming her lover for several years now. But what was _really_ important was persuading Amelia to accept her right to the throne.

She'd make a queen out of Philippe's girl. But first she would tell her that she was a princess.

Sweet Amelia.

She got back in bed but no matter how hard she tried _not_ to replay her conversation with her would-be lover she kept tossing and turning. It wasn't until she'd whispered: ´Damn you Joseph!´ that she finally fell asleep.

OoOoOoO

Like most Genovians Charlotte had only known the Queen from a distance. The public Queen was always smiling, listening attentively or saying kind things. Part of Charlotte understood that there was more to running a country that appearing to be a creature from far far away land, but the other part wondered whether _she'd_ done something to initiate Her Majesty's present business like behaviour.

Charlotte had been requested by the Queen to accompany her on a round through the building and she'd made notes of the things Her Majesty wanted to have changed. The Queen had been critical in an unfairy like (though calm and eloquent) way.

They were walking near Charlotte's desk when a phone rang. Charlotte, who was nervous as it was, didn't know what to do, but a raised royal eyebrow quickly made her answer the call.

´Genovian Consulate, Miss Kutaway speaking. How may I help you?´

(...)

´Hello Amelia.´

The Queen, studying a painting, turned around with a bright smile on her face.

´Your grandmother is right here, hold on a moment please.´

(...)

´Oh,´ Charlotte said, a blush colouring her cheeks. ´Yes, I can pass a message.´

The Queen lowered her hand and raised her eyebrows.

(...)

´You are not able to make it today?´ Charlotte repeated for the Queen's benefit.

The Queen shook her head.

´You won't be visiting at all...´

Charlotte gladly handed the receiver to her impatient liege.

´- just not interested,´ Mia, unaware of being 'reconnected', finished her line.

´Hello Amelia.´

Silence.

´Grandmother. Hi.´

´You _will_ come and visit won't you?´

Amelia cleared her throat.

´I thought about it and no, I won't.´

´Amelia, we need to talk.´

´About dad being a prince. I _know_. Mum told me yesterday. But the thing is: I'm not interested in being a princess. Never was. Even when I was like _nine_, I rather played cowgirls with Lilly than _princesses_. So.´

´This is not about playing darling.´

´I think it's worse if it's for real.´

´Your father never thought so Amelia... please come and see me.´

´Sorry. It was nice to meet you. Bye.´

The Queen stared at the receiver, shaking it a little.

´Amelia?´

Charlotte swallowed hard.

The Queen, convinced that her granddaughter had actually hung up on her, handed the phone to Charlotte.

´I need you to find out my granddaughter's schedule.´

´Good morning Your Majesty. Charlotte.´

The Queen turned to face her Head of Security.

Charlotte smiled at him behind her liege's back. He didn't notice it.

´Joseph. My granddaughter just called. She changed her mind about coming here so I will visit her at school. Charlotte might need your help to arrange things.´

Joe inclined his head. The Queen addressed her aid again.

´She must have time off around lunch or even for the entire afternoon. I will have to _intercept_ her before she goes home.´

Joseph gave Charlotte a reassuring nod. The young woman cleared her throat.

´Yes ma'am.´

´Tell the principal that Mia Thermopolis's grandmother urgently needs to talk to her and that the school is the best place to do so.´

Charlotte nodded.

´Good.´

The Queen turned to face her Head of Security and Charlotte's expression changed into that of a person who – after receiving a brief instruction on how to fly an aircraft – was actually made to take off.

´Joseph please come and see me after Charlotte and you have arranged things.´

´Yes ma'am.´

OoOoOoO

Queen Clarisse was re-reading letters Helen had sent Philippe regarding their daughter when Joseph entered her office. Her first thought was to have him wait for a moment. She decided against it though: he was her friend. She wouldn't treat him like a servant, no matter how much he'd angered her.

In the time it took Joe to walk to Clarisse's desk, he recalled the trail of thought that had finally made him realise his mistake: he had never been a passive lover to begin with. And there was something about being around a lady who could dismiss Parliament or close Genovia's stock market with a mere signature that had triggered his imagination. To be in control of her... The idea had presented itself that some powerful people like to give up control. Things such as Clarisse not questioning him when he'd usher her into a hotel via the kitchen instead of via the entrance had made him think that she was one of those people. In his fantasies Clarisse cooperated willingly and she longed for him to be a _dominating_ lover. Joe had then been free to reward and punish her just as he pleased.

In the previous sleepless night he had come to realise that his idea of what Clarisse wanted was fed by his own fantasies. He was nervous. Her knowing that he thought that she wanted to surrender, was one thing. Her knowing a detail of his fantasies was another. If she found him repulsive because of his punishment fantasies, not to mention the fact that he'd started to act one such fantasy out, his dream of becoming her lover would be shattered.

When she looked at him over the rim of her glasses and then gestured toward the _private setting_ of the sitting area, Joe exhaled. He watched her place her glasses on her desk. She was careful not to damage the pearl chain on which they hung.

´Charlotte is on to it,´ he said.

She nodded and walked to a sofa.

´I think she will make a fine aid,´ Joe added.

´I don't want to discuss Charlotte Joseph. Have a seat.´

Joe sat down on a chair, thinking it best to stay out of her personal space right now.

´We need to talk about last night,´ she started.

He nodded. He had repeated his apology again and again.

´My idea that you wanted to give up control was based on false assumptions.´

Clarisse knew very well that _idea_ meant _fantasy_. She believed that fantasies were free and as a result she would not sentence Joseph for his imagination. But she couldn't _ignore_ it either, no matter how much she wished she could. She _knew_ he fantasized about taking control and punishing her. She couldn't bring herself to enter the subject, afraid she'd hear more things that would further damage the knightly image she had of Joseph.

´I apologize,´ he said.

She searched his face and nodded.

Joe wanted to beg forgiveness for involving her in his fantasy without checking whether she wanted it, but he'd lost his tongue.

Clarisse cleared her throat and at the same time there was a knock on the door.

Charlotte entered, looking flushed.

´I'm so sorry ma'am, but I got vice principal Gupta on the line again and she insists to talk to you and I just don't know what to do.´

The Queen inhaled deeply.

´Connect her through,´ she said.

Charlotte sighed with relief and left.

Clarisse rose and Joe followed suit.

When she walked passed him, he mouthed _I love you_.

She hesitated for a moment and then her index finger brushed his cheek.

Joe closed his eyes. All was not lost.

OoOoOoO

Vice principal Gupta drummed her foot on the floor as she waited for Mia Thermopolis's granny to shuffle to the phone.

She had been given suggestions by Miss Kutaway as to how to contact Mia which had sounded like instructions. Gupta didn't like being instructed and, remembering that she had to protect her pupil, she'd demanded to talk to Mia's grandmother.

´Thank you for waiting vice principal. I will connect you through.´

OoOoOoO

When a monitor showed that the Queen had ended the call, Charlotte wiped her hands on her skirt and knocked on the door to Her Majesty's office. Once face to face with her Queen, she apologized again for not having handled the vice principal herself.

´That's all right Charlotte.´

´Pray tell me ma'am, have you succeeded in making Miss Gupta -´

Her liege looked up from her paperwork and raised an eyebrow causing Charlotte to stop in mid sentence.

´Honestly Charlotte.´

Charlotte almost giggled with relief, but she checked herself just in time.

OoOoOoO

It had taken two words for vice principal Gupta to change the picture she had of Mia's grandmother: _good morning._

Two words had transformed an old Greek granny stumbling through her explanation into a British lady. Gupta couldn't help it but when someone spoke like Colin Firth or Judi Dench, she just swooned. Right after _good morning_ Gupta had started to smile.

_Good morning vice principal. _

The lady had said that she appreciated her cautiousness and that she looked forward to meeting her prior to speaking to her granddaughter.

Gupta appreciated women who knew what they wanted and she felt she would get along with Mia Thermopolis's grandmother, provided the lady realised that at school Gupta ruled.

OoOoOoO

´Yeah! No more classes today,´ Lilly said. She looked at Mia.

´That's reason to be _merry_ Mia.´

Mia stared at the note the janitor had handed her during class.

´What does it say?´

´I have to go to Gupta,´ Mia softly said, ´Right now.´

´What? But you haven't _done_ anything, have you?´

Mia hurried into a corridor. Her friend followed her.

´I think I have to leave school.´

Lilly zigzagged to avoid some schoolmates.

´What?´

´I think I've gotta leave school! I called my grandmother this morning to tell her I wouldn't see her any more -´

´Why not?´

Mia sighed.

´Because! And _I_ think that _she_ now stopped paying for school.´

Lilly made a face.

´Really Mia, she didn't look like someone who'd do that.´

´What else can it be?´

´Let's find out,´ Lilly challenged.

She punched Mia's upper arm: ´Come on girl!´

Mia followed her friend, hoping she and Lilly would keep seeing each other when visiting different schools.

´Maybe Gupta wants your mum to give art classes. Or she'd like you to write something for the school paper. Who knows?´ Lilly chatted on their way to the vice principal's office.

Mia just shrugged.

´Lana was being daft again wasn't she,´ Lilly remarked, ´we can't blame her: she was born that way.´

Mia didn't respond.

´Your grandmother seemed nice. Why don't you want to see her any more? You wanted to meet her. Did your mum forbid it?´

´Mum told me about dad's family,´ Mia softly said, though there was no one near.

´Yeah?´

´Dad was from Genovia.´

Before Lilly could remark that she already knew that, Mia, after looking around, added: ´He was a Genovian prince.´

Lilly eyed her friend suspiciously. Then she grinned.

´It's _not_ a joke!´

Lilly knew that her friend wasn't much of an actress. Mia's desperate expression was for real, as was the fact that her hands were clasping the straps of her bag to the point where her knuckles turned white.

´That's... weird,´ Lilly said, lacking a better word.

´This is more _weird_ than like hearing that aliens will blow up Earth because its in the way.´

Lilly made a face.

´Cause that won't happen Lill! _This_ is _real_! And you know what? All this grandmother stuff sucks!´

´I think she's nice,´ Lilly remarked.

´She'll just want me to act the _princess_,´ Mia angrily whispered, ´and she's used to having people obey her. I won't. I just won't. I _won't_ do it.´

Lilly, though she remembered the loving way Mia's grandmother had looked at her, thought it best to remain silent. Besides, they were near the vice principal's office and there were people around.

When Mia, with a stomach as tight as a knot, knocked on Gupta's door, Lilly simply said, with an encouraging smile: ´Just wait and see. If you are right, _which I doubt_, we can go to public school together.´

Mia swallowed and blinked. Feeling much better suddenly, she entered the office.

OoOoOoO

Mia bumped into the vice-principal who was standing near the doorway.

´Ah! There you are Mia,´ Gupta exclaimed in her most polished English. She removed a picture from a wall.

´Here she is,´ she announced to someone whose was hidden from Mia's view.

Mia figured that a member of the Board of Directors was present to give her being sent away a tinge of formality.

Gupta closed the door and Mia looked at the spot where the frame had hung, for she wasn't ready to face her executioner yet.

´I was just going to show your grandmother this photo.´

Mia's eyes followed the vice principal's. On one of the uncomfortable looking chairs in a corner of the room Lady Perfect Poise was seated.

Gupta didn't notice her pupil's expression, for she was completely enchanted by the elegant European lady who'd taken over control of her office.

Her plan to ask Mia whether she felt all right about meeting her grandmother had been forgotten the moment she'd seen the latter. _All_ Gupta wanted was to be approved by this lady who'd introduced herself as _Amelia's grandmother_.

´This is the school's debating team,´ Gupta remarked as she showed the lady the picture.

She stopped talking to follow her guest's gaze at Mia. The girl was staring at them suspiciously.

_Teenagers_, Gupta thought.

Mia took a step forward and suddenly noticed the man in black she'd seen at Doc's. She didn't feel ready to deal with her cunning grandmother, so she addressed _him_.

´Are you her bodyguard?´

It sounded like an accusation. Gupta held her breath.

´Yes he is Amelia. Please have a seat.´

Mia didn't know why she actually sat down. Was it because she wanted things to get over with? Was it because her grandmother smiled at her warmly? Was it because Gupta was obviously impressed by her grandmother? Jeez: the woman was using the photo frame as a fan! It definitely _wasn't_ because Mr Black was blocking her escape route. Huh!

Her grandmother addressed the vice principal and said something appreciative about the number of out-of-school activities that were on offer. She then smoothly thanked Miss Gupta for her cooperation. Before either the vice principal or Mia realised it, the bodyguard held the door for the former, who, though deprived of her office, beamed with contentment.

Part of Mia wanted to know how her grandmother had done this, but the other part feared that the same trick might be used on her. The door fell close and Mia crossed her arms.

´The revelation about you father's family was not a _pleasing_ one, was it Amelia?´

Mia shrugged and looked at a plant on a coffee table.

´I had wanted to tell you myself today but I can understand that your mother -´

´Mum is great!´ Mia cried out.

Mia watched her grandmother smile warmly: ´I know that your parents loved each other dearly.´

Her grandmother opened her bag and produced some pictures.

´I made this one at their place.´

Mia couldn't resist having a look. Her mum and dad were sitting on a couch. Her mum looked a bit shy, but she had her hand on her dad's upper leg nonetheless.

´Why did you come here?´

´I can imagine that this seems like an ambush to you Amelia, but we need to talk.´

Mia wanted to say that there was nothing to talk about, but her grandmother offered her another picture and she automatically accepted it.

´Who's he? Wait: it's dad's _brother_ right?´

´Yes, that is your uncle Pierre.´

´Pierre.´

Mia tilted her head. Her uncle was standing in a stream, fishing, and the water reached his hips.

´I suppose you're not very sportive yourself? I mean sitting on a horse isn't sportive if you ask me.´

Mia eyed her grandmother to see how she bore her criticism. The woman didn't even _blink_ and she gave her a vague smile that was quite unsettling.

´He looks nice,´ Mia quickly said.

´He _is. _He is a climber, just as you are.´

´Cool! We could -´ Mia stopped talking.

´Climb together. He _is_ experienced.´

´Yeah well, I don't wanna be a princess. I told you so on the phone. I just don't want it! So there's nothing to talk about. I don't wanna be a princess.´

´What about being a niece? And a granddaughter?´

Mia avoided her grandmother's eyes for she planned to stick to her resolution.

´Your father was a prince and he was not a worse person for it Amelia.´

Mia shrugged. She sat on her hands so she couldn't receive more pictures. If her grandmother thought she was just like Gupta, she was wrong!

´I'm not into ball gowns and tiaras and stuff. It's like romantic but it's also weird you know? I like _jeans_. I'm not your girl.´

´You _are_ my granddaughter Amelia. From the moment we, your grandfather and myself, learned we were going to be grandparents, you _were_ our girl.´

A picture found its way to the arm rest of Mia's chair.

Mia, curious as she was, glanced at it. She saw a tall, strong looking man with a tennis racket. He looked like an older version of her dad.

´That's his father, right?´

The Queen smiled. ´Yes. It was made about fifteen years ago.´

Biting her lower lip, Mia picked up the photo.

´What was his name?´

´Rupert.´

Mia tilted her head.

´What's your name?´ she asked, her eyes still on her grandfather's picture.

´My name is Clarisse.´

Mia returned the picture to her lady grandmother.

´Clarisse... It kinda suits you. And Mr Black?´

She gestured toward the door.

´His name is Joseph.´

´Mr Joseph?´

´Mr Romero. He is my Head of Security.´

Mia straightened up.

´Lilly guessed he was your bodyguard. Cause we thought you were like an ambassador or so.´

´Well, being a Queen has certain similarities to being an ambassador.´

Mia stared at her grandmother open-mouthed. The Queen didn't notice it, for she glanced at yet another picture she'd brought.

´Here's a photo - Amelia?´

´A _Queen_? Oh man.´

The Queen raised an eyebrow.

´Had you expected Genovia to be a principality?´

´A what?´

´A country ruled by a prince. Genovia is a _kingdom_.´

Mia gazed at her grandmother and -like a robot - accepted the picture that was handed to her. She planned to look at it out of politeness and then run away for this had taken too long already and she found herself returning her grandmother's smiles! Next thing you know _the Queen_ would be teaching her the names of Genovian cities.

Her Majesty had selected the picture (like all others) for a reason. It was made at Christmas and Christmas was something Amelia could relate to. Secondly it was an informal portrait: her sons were wearing pullovers and they were standing behind the sofa on which Rupert and herself were seated. Thirdly: Rupert's pointer Alix was posing also. Last but not least: Philippe had been fifteen when the photo was made.

´Look at that tree! It's huge! And that dog is cute! And dad's got my hair! It's way shorter of course but it really is _my_ hair!´

The girl grinned at her grandmother, who reached out to tuck a lock of Mia's hair behind her ear.

Mia shrugged and sat back.

´Didn't he and uncle Pierre _hate_ having to wear such formal clothes?´

Mia looked at the back of the picture.

´When was it made?´

The Queen revealed the year. Mia looked at the photo again.

´Can I keep this?´

The Queen smiled and nodded.

´Of course darling.´

´Thanks.´

Mia got a book out of her bag and carefully put the picture in it.

´I hope you haven't told uncle Pierre about meeting me. I mean, I don't wanna play a princess you know and well, when he like expects me to do so... He's older than dad was right? I mean he was taller.´

Mia moved her bag next to her chair, ready to leave.

´So is _he_ a _king_ now, or do _you_ like _rock and rule_? Just curious you know.´

The Queen welcomed Amelia's question. It provided a nice introduction to a pomp and circumstance picture she was holding. It had been made the year before her husband died and it showed him, Philippe and herself in evening attire. She was dressed in a blue gown made of duchesse satin and a sapphire tiara with matching earrings and bracelet. Her husband and son -both in military uniform- wore the insignia of the Order of the Wolf.

´Your uncle _is_ older than your father...´ the Queen softly said as she handed her granddaughter the picture.

´Wow!´

Mia dropped the picture in her lap.

´No shit!´

Mia stared at the picture wide eyed. It was... grand. It was better than actors posing at a posh movie première. She picked up the picture the better to study it.

´Are those stones like _real_?´

´Yes they are.´

Mia whistled. To make up for her behaviour, she planned to say something like _I bet you can feed a third world country for a month if you sold that jewellery huh? _when it occurred to her: ´Why isn't dad's brother on it?´

´Now Amelia, _that_ is what we need to talk about.´

OoOoOoO

Lilly sighed when the door fell close behind Mia. She leant against a wall, anxiously waiting for her friend to return. At first no one minded her, which allowed her to worry, but then Lana and her gang came to have a chat.

´So, what have I heard, can't the artist mummy afford private education any more?´

Lilly knew that rumours spread faster than the Black Death. She glared at the blonde.

´Mind your own business Lana.´

´I can just _see_ Miss Clumsy going to public school. She won't last a day.´

Lana's mini me's giggled.

´I'm _really_ concerned for her well being.´

Lilly sighed but the bystanders weren't that critical. Lana looked around with a big smile on her face. When she spotted a friend passing by, she told him all about Mia having to leave school. The boy smirked and suggested several schools Mia could visit.

´Read my lips: she's _not_ going to public school,´ Lilly spoiled the fun.

´Oh really?´

´Yeah.´

The door opened and Gupta (smiling dreamily) step outside, followed by a man in black.

The man acknowledged Lilly's presence with a slight nod. His eyes slowly searched the small crowd in the corridor. The noise level decreased significantly as one after the other felt his gaze on them.

Lilly grinned, both because of the effect Mr Black had and because she realised who was inside the office.

Gupta wasn't fully aware of her pupils yet. She looked at the man in black. She shivered when she recalled what she'd said after shaking the lady's hand: _Welcome sir, you must be Mia's -._ What a gaffe it would have been. _Mr Romero works for me_ the lady had interrupted.

Gupta now asked him whether he cared to join her for some coffee in the cafeteria. She longed to know more about his employer and she was confident that her charm would make him talk.

´No thank you,´ he said.

´Are you sure?´ the vice principal asked with a smile.

Joe meaningfully glanced at the door to her office.

´Oh yeah! You've gotta -´

She cleared her throat.

´I understand. You have to stay here to _guard_ her.´

´Ah!´ Lana shrieked. ´Whatshedo whatshedo?´

´She didn't do a thing!´ Lilly exclaimed, ´you stupid -´

´Girls!´ Gupta said, ´Be quiet! What's going on?´

´Is poor Mia going to have to leave us vice principal?´ Lana innocently said.

´Not that I know,´ Gupta replied, adding: ´I certainly hope not.´

´See?´ Lilly triumphed.

´Anyone who doesn't have any business here, move it!´ Gupta ordered.

It took a little while but most people, Lana included, left the corridor.

While Gupta signed a leave note for a pupil who had to go to the dentist, Lilly moved closer to the man in black.

´Hi,´ Lilly started, ´she's here right?´

Joe gave her a small nod.

´I'm Lilly by the way,´ the girl said.

´Joe.´

Lilly cleared her throat.

´Tell me Miss Lilly,´ Joe softly said while he kept observing the surroundings, ´what did you say to your friend after she left Mr Doctor's office?´

Lilly grinned.

´Told her I liked her grandma.´

Mr Black's face didn't give away a thing. He merely nodded once and he and Lilly remained silent while the vice principal settled a dispute between two boys.

After sending them away, Gupta _still_ didn't find herself alone with Mr Romero.

´What are _you_ doing here?´

´She's waiting for her friend vice principal.´

Before the vice principal had a chance to reply, Lilly asked: ´Are you Genovian just like Mia's grandmother?´

´Genovia? That's situated south of France is it not?'

´Yes it is Miss Gupta. And no Lilly, I'm Spanish.´

´Do you dance the flamenco?´

Gupta could have bitten her tongue, especially for asking that girlish question in front of a pupil, but Lilly -that was her name wasn't it?- seemed as interested as she was.

´I do.´

Joe found himself facing two smiling women.

If only _she_ would smile at him again. He hoped that she would allow him the opportunity to finish the conversation they had before Charlotte had interrupted them. Without talking things over, he would never become her lover. Without talking to her he might even lose her friendship.

´But you're _not_ a toreador, are you?´

Joe kept his expression blank, though Lilly's challenging tone of voice amused him.

´No I'm not.´

´Good. I really hate bull fights and so does Mia.´

´That's a nice subject for the debating club,´ Gupta contributed.

´No one will want to defend a toreador,´ Lilly replied.

´Any good debater will,´ Gupta countered.

Both the vice principal and Lilly looked at Mr Romero a.k.a. Mr Black for help.

A cry from the office broke the silence: ´SHUT UP!´


	6. Argue away

Chapter 6 – Argue away

´Excuse me?´

The Queen, startled at being ordered to shut up, and the girl, shocked at what her grandmother had just told her, stared at each other.

Mia realised that her grandmother thought she'd been told to hold her tongue. She wondered whether she should mention that _Shut up_ was normal language for _My my, that is quite some news, _when another thought came up: _Queens aren't told to _shut up_, so this will show her that I'm not a puppet on a string. _

´No way I'm an _heiress_!´

Mia rose to leave when her grandmother softly said: ´You _are_ your father's daughter Amelia. The throne of Genovia is rightfully yours.´

These consequential words made Mia feel as if she'd ended up in a horror movie: the lunatic with the axe was on his way and she just _stood_ there, wide eyed.

´When you come of age at twenty-one,´ her grandmother added, rising.

Suddenly the lunatic was wandering at the horizon.

Her grandmother put her hands on her shoulders.

´Amelia?´

Mia saw love and understanding in her grandmother's blue eyes.

´I'm a girl!´ she whispered, ´Not a _queen_!´

´Right now you're a princess my dear. And first and foremost you are my granddaughter.´

Mia bit her lip when her grandmother caressed her head.

´We can't trespass on Miss Gupta's hospitality forever. Shall we leave for the consulate?´

Mia shrugged. She didn't feel like moving, except to the planet's core.

OoOoOoO

The moment the door opened, the three people waiting in the corridor turned around.

´Don't forget your bag Amelia,´ they heard.

´It's _Mia_.´

´Amelia is such a beautiful name, I will not for the world shorten it.´

OoOoOoO

´Do you wanna get a _speeding_ ticket?´ Lilly said. So far she'd only gotten a confirmation that her friend didn't have to leave school, but she desperately needed to know why Mia looked so down.

´Is _he_ still there?´ Mia whispered.

Lilly glanced over her shoulder. Mr Black was walking near Mia's grandmother and Gupta. The three of them were almost a corridor behind. She passed this information to her friend.

´Good. Wanna come home with me?´

´OK. What's this all about Mia?´ Lilly softly said.

Mia didn't want to mention it, for if she _did_, it would be really _real_. She shrugged. She wasn't a queen, she wasn't a princess. She was Mia. Just plain ordinary FREE Mia.

When they silently hurried into the entrance hall, Lana and her gang blocked their path to the exit.

´Do you have to _leave_ us Mia?´ the blonde asked in a sugar-coated voice.

´We already went through this _remember_?´ Lilly said.

´Your friend doesn't look too happy for someone who can _stay_,´ Lana replied. Addressing Mia she continued: ´Are you granted a scholarship? Poor Mia. Be assured: I'm not gonna treat you _any_ differently for it. Cross my heart!´

Lana's friends added their reassurances, but Mia (hearing the sound of high heels approaching) used her elbows to create a way out.

´Heh you bitch! You hurt me!´ one of the girls cried out. She planned to take revenge, but one of her friends uttered the magic words: ´That's a Valentino!´

The girls' interest for fashion enabled Mia to walk to the exit. She was stopped by Lilly though.

´Aren't you gonna say goodbye to your grandmother?´

´She wants me to go to the consulate,´ Mia softly explained.

´OK.´

´Not OK! I don't want what _she_ wants.´

´Which _is_?´

´You are your father's heiress Amelia,´ Mia replied in a failed attempt to copy her grandmother's diction and accent. It was enough unlike her usual speech to fool Lilly though.

´She said that huh?´

´_I_ thought being a _princess_ was _bad enough_,´ Mia whispered.

´Yeah?´ Lilly encouraged, but Mia was diverted. Lilly followed her gaze.

´_Great_! Now Lana's gonna tell grandmother about me falling of chairs and being speechless during debating class.´

Lana however hadn't made a connection between awkward Mia and the dressed to perfection lady. She hoped to be discovered as a supermodel and it suited her to think that the lady accompanying Gupta was the CEO of a model agency. Not being a shy girl, she was determined to be noticed. The lady was thanking the smiling vice principal for her cooperation (to scout for gorgeous girls at school, what else?) and Lana politely waited her chance.

Lilly told Mia that when she would spend time with her grandmother, she could show her that she _wasn't_ a clumsy mute at all.

´You know Lilly? Maybe it's _good_ if she thinks that way. Let's sneak out.´

Lana's question: ´Excuse me madam, is that a hurmeez shawl?´ made Mia stiffen. Her grandmother must think Lana was great princess material...

´Hermes,´ came the reply in perfect French, ´But yes it is.´

Mia grinned. Lilly smirked. Miss Gupta memorized the way her guest had pronounced the name of the famous brand. Lana, unaware of being corrected, was about to make a shoe related remark when the lady said: ´Shall we leave Amelia?´

Mia still didn't want to go to the consulate, but Lilly seemed to think it was all right for her to join her grandmother. Lill didn't know about _it_, but her enthusiasm made Mia hesitate all the same. She looked at _the Queen_ who was walking toward her with this bloody sweet smile on her face.

Mia unintentionally locked eyes with Lana. The dawn of realisation showed on the blonde's face.

Mia couldn't help but relish it.

Every cruel remark and cleverly hidden insult Lana had made over the past years was now revenged. Mia wouldn't have been surprised if the bystanders had burst out in song and dance. Smiling from ear to ear, she followed her grandmother outside.

OoOoO

Across the street Mr Chanel watched how the Queen of Genovia stepped into her limousine. He cared neither for what she'd done at school nor for who the two girls were who entered the car. He just wanted Her Majesty gone. He couldn't sleep, he couldn't eat. He recalled how miserable he'd felt on his arrival in the States. He pictured his mother's face when she'd stepped into their small American apartment.

He felt in his pocket to check if his purchase was still there.

OoOoO

´The diplomatic bag arrived,´ Charlotte whispered, ´Do you think I can interrupt them?´

Joe, knowing that the Queen expected the present her late son had bought his daughter (which hadn't been bound yet on the day she left for the United States) looked at the envelops Charlotte held.

One of them might -by the looks of it- very well contain the diary the prince had ordered. He nodded at the young woman.

Charlotte exhaled and walked toward her liege.

The Queen was listening to Lilly telling her about Lana and how the blonde preferred doing things in a hole-and-corner fashion. Amelia studied her grandmother.

´Your Majesty?´

´What is it Charlotte?´ the Queen replied pleasantly enough. The girls eyed each other because of the _Your Majesty_.

´I'm sorry for interrupting ma'am, but the diplomatic post has arrived and -´

The Queen reached out her hands to receive the pile her aid had brought.

´Thank you Charlotte. And could you find out why there's no tea yet?´

´Yes ma'am.´

Mia shared another glance with her friend while the Queen searched through the mail.

´They've got seals!´ Mia noticed.

Her grandmother smiled at her, glad to hear her voice.

´Diplomatic mail is always secured like that,´ she explained as she opened an envelop.

She took out a red leather bound book and caressed the cover. She did so partly because she imagined that her Philippe had touched the leather too when choosing it and partly to get a response from her son's daughter. It remained silent however, until Lilly asked: ´Is that something special?´

The Queen bit her lower lip and looked at her granddaughter.

´It is a present for you Amelia.´

She sighed.

´Your father had it made for your sixteenth birthday.´

Mia cleared her throat.

´He _did_? But it's not my birthday yet,´ she said while at the same time accepting the present from her grandmother's hands.

´I know that my dear, but I can't stay here for over two weeks. And there's something you need to open the diary -´

´A diary?´

The Queen nodded.

´That's what it is. Your mother told your father that you keep a diary. This one, as you can see, can be locked.´

Mia tried to unlock it by using a hair-pin.

´Maybe you should put it in, push on the cover and then pull,´ Lilly suggested.

The Queen briefly placed her hand on her granddaughter's wrist.

´If you will excuse me for a moment, I will fetch the key,´ the Queen said picking up the rest of the diplomatic mail.

´OK,´ Mia said, devoting her attention to the diary.

´Did you see she walks in a straight line?´ Lilly said as soon as her friend's grandmother had left the room.

´Doesn't surprise me.´

Lilly felt she had to say something about the gift. _She_ knew that _Mia_ knew that had a red leather bound journal with a golden lock and a freaking crest been given to anyone else, they would have called it posh. Overdone. But it was _Mia's_ and it had been purchased by her deceased father...

´That's... quite a present Mia.´

Mia bit her lower lip and nodded.

´I'm sorry I didn't know him.´

´Yeah. I can imagine that.´

The girls took the opportunity of being alone to look around.

´This place looks rather cool for a place like this,´ Lilly said, ´With the flowers and all.´

´Don't say that again.´

´What?´

´_Cool_. The bodyguards waiting outside the school were _cool_ and grandmother inviting you to come along was _cool_ and -´

´But it _was_ ... not warm.´

It took a few of Lilly's funny faces before Mia grinned.

´And don't tell me you didn't see Lana's expression.´

Mia laughed: ´It was fan-tas-tic!´

The butler entered carrying a tray.

´Hi,´ Mia and Lilly said in unison. The butler merely nodded at them. He placed the tray on the table, jumped over Lilly's outstretched legs and left.

´That's weird,´ the girl remarked, ´My mum always said it's impolite to pass in front of someone. But tell me Mia, what is this about?´

Mia shrugged.

´Grandmother told me that I'm like the next in line for the throne.´

Lilly's jaw dropped.

Mia fumbled with the diary's lock.

´Holy shit!´

´Yeah, tell me. Like I'm fit to be a Queen huh?´

´Holy shit!´

´Still think it's _cool_?´

Before Lilly could come up with a reply, Mia's grandmother returned. She apologised for having left them alone and elegantly sat down next to Mia.

´Here you are Amelia,´ she said as she handed the girl a locket, ´It used to be mine.´

Mia just nodded.

´So that's to unlock the diary?´ Lilly chatted.

´Yes it is. If you open it and press it onto the crest, the volume will unlock.´

Mia cleared her throat and followed her grandmother's suggestion. She did it without zeal though. It was only because she felt two pairs of eyes on her that she opened the diary.

´Your father wrote you a birthday letter. It is inside the diary.´

Mia closed the book and fingered the crest.

Lilly looked at her friend before addressing her friend's grandmother: ´She doesn't _have_ to become a Queen right?´

Mia brightened up. The Queen noticed it and a shiver ran down her spine. She cleared her throat.

´No she doesn't.´

Looking at Amelia intently she added: ´But I hope with all my heart that you will chose to serve Genovia.´

´It's south of France right?´ Lilly broke the silence following the Queen's remark.

The Queen, who'd started pouring them tea, nodded: ´Yes it is. Genovia was founded in 978 AD -´

´Wow!´ the girls cried out.

´- to create a barrier between Spain and France. A son of the King of France married a niece of the King of Spain and thus House Renaldi was born.´

´Fuck!´

´Amelia!´

The girl started pacing the room. Lilly eyed her worriedly while the Queen slowly inhaled to calm herself down.

´So like when I say _no thank you_, over a thousand years of history will go down the drain huh? Well, _that's_ nice to know.´

The Queen and Lilly cast each other a glance.

´Darling, if you say _no_, no it is. But _please_ allow me to tell you about what saying _yes_ will lead to. Allow me to tell you about your country and its people.´

The Queen walked toward her granddaughter and caressed her hair.

´Just like your father's,´ she whispered. Apart from earning her a feeble smile her remark enabled her to walk Amelia back to the sofa.

´Even people who are raised as princes have to make a decision about whether or not they want to become who they were born to be,´ the Queen slowly said, ´Most of them accept it. And that is _not_ because of the privileges that come along with being a member of a royal family but from an urge to be useful. To make a _difference_. It was so for your father too Amelia.´

OoOoO

Joe, still standing guard just outside Her Majesty's door-less sitting room nodded to himself. His Clarisse could see through people which allowed her to play them. His lady's enchanting voice entered his ears but he didn't pay attention to the history lesson she gave. He wondered about their future: would she allow him to explain his behaviour?

After a while a male voice spoke into his ear: ´Sir, there's a lady here who demands to be allowed in.´

´Miss Thermopolis?´ Joe replied, ´I'm on my way.´

Once in the hall he told his men to open the gate and he stepped outside to await the princess's mother. She looked furious and even more so after being told to get off the lawn.

´Miss Thermopolis,´ he said with a slight inclination of his head, ´My name is Joe Romero. I'm Her Majesty's Head of Security.´

´So _you_ kidnapped my girl?´

´Your daughter and her friend Lilly came here voluntarily.´

´Right!´ Helen said, arms akimbo.

´Indeed so. Her Majesty is having tea with them.´

´Right! I want to talk to her. If I can't I will call the police.´

Joe knew better than to inform her about diplomatic immunity and he remained silent. His calm behaviour resulted in Miss Thermopolis dropping one arm to her side.

Joe nodded and opened the door.

Once they'd stepped inside Joe waved away the guard who planned to search Miss Thermopolis's bag.

He lead the way to Her Majesty's sitting room but he _didn't_ take the short cut.

OoOoO

Comfort food, that's what Helen needed. She got a plate to place some chocolate muffins on it, but she changed her mind.

´What the heck!´

She secured the vacuum packed muffins between her elbow and her waist, picked up her espresso and Mia's glass of water and walked to the couch.

´You told him that I keep a journal huh?´ Mia said as she relieved her mother of the pack.

´Yes I wrote him about that.´

´It was sweet of him to have this made for me.´

´Uhuh.´

´He wrote me a letter.´

Helen noticed an expensive piece of paper lying on the couch next to her daughter.

´A birthday letter?´

Mia nodded. Helen blew into her cup of coffee, very aware that it was the last letter her girl would ever receive from her father.

´He writes that he loved you very much,´ Mia said.

Helen took a sip of her coffee and it took a moment before she discovered that her daughter had tears in her eyes too.

She placed her cup on a table and put her arm around Mia's shoulders.

´Do you think that dad knew he was gonna die?´ Mia tearfully said.

´Sweetheart? What do you mean? He had an accident.´

´But maybe he sensed it you know. Cause he's writing this stuff about wisdom and finding out who your are and stuff like that.´

Helen hugged her daughter.

´He writes that _his_ dad shared it with him,´ Mia hiccuped.

´Oh sweetheart.´

Mia sniffed.

´Your coffee's getting cold.´

Helen sat back.

´Mum? When you were _my_ age, did you know what you wanted to be?´

Helen reached toward the table to get her cup. She handed Mia her water.

´Of course not!´ she said, though in reality she'd known she wanted to be an artist from age eleven.

´There were so many interesting things: being a journalist, or a painter, or an archaeologist or a teacher.´

Helen sighed for dramatic effect: ´How can a girl your age know what she wants to be?´

Mia picked up her letter.

´From now on you'll be travelling the road between who you think you are and who you can be,´ she read aloud.

Helen's stomach turned tight as a knot. She now understood why Mia thought that her father had had a sixth sense: she _had_ a road to travel but Helen be damned it that road lead to Genovia. She couldn't find it in herself to return her daughter's feeble smile. Mia licked her lips.

´The key is to allow yourself to make the journey.´

Mia sensed that her mother was reading the letter over her shoulder. She pointed at the last line: ´See?´

Helen memorised the words. Philippe. Dear sweet lost Philippe.

She exhaled audibly.

The Thermopolis women sat in silence until Fat Louie jumped on the couch.

´You're hungry, aren't you?´ Mia said, glad for the diversion.

To prove her right, the cat walked toward the refrigerator. Mia followed him and she in her turn was followed by her mother.

As the girl put some food in a bowl, she started chatting.

´Grandmother told me that princes too make a choice to become who they were born to be.´

Helen wished she practised voodoo.

´She said it was so for dad too.´

´Gee I don't know. When _I_ met your father, he was settled I suppose. But it was different for him from the start. People had treated him like a prince his whole life. And he was used to the country and its people and its particular ways.´

Mia knelt down and caressed Fat Louie.

Helen inhaled deeply.

´Unlike you he was programmed to have this very _limited_ view of his future and of who he _could_ be.´

Mia looked up: ´That's right!´

She rose with a bright smile on her face.

´You know, I'll tell grandmother about that when she drops by tomorrow. It was nice of you to invite her over mum.´

Helen shrugged. She hadn't had much of a choice really. That woman was _so_ good. At being a charming manipulator that is. Even _Lilly_, who Helen could easily picture to have been a revolutionary in nineteenth century Russia, had been fooled. Well, at least now _Her Majesty_ would have to fight on enemy territory.

OoOoO

While soft music filled the room, Clarisse told Joseph about her worries concerning her granddaughter.

´She's scared. It's understandable of course.´

She took a sip of her wine. Joseph's warm gaze made her feel better.

´I made the decision to invite Lilly quite spontaneously but I think I did the right thing.´

Joe chuckled.

´What?´

´After seeing her for a few moments from a distance you already knew that she would make a valuable aid to your cause.´

Clarisse winked at her friend. He gave her a broad smile in return and said: ´I have to oppose your idea that _spontaneous_ and _right thing_ don't go together.´

´I didn't say that,´ Clarisse objected.

Joe sat closer to her and lifted her free hand to kiss it.

´But that's what you implied.´

´You know me Joseph.´

´Not as _well_ as I would like querida.´

The two of them had been avoiding the subject all evening but they couldn't disregard it any longer. Clarisse removed her hand from Joseph's to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. Joseph moved out of her personal space.

´Does knowing about a fantasy of mine make you dislike me?´

Clarisse inhaled deeply.

´Fantasies are _free_ Joseph and-´

Relieved that she hadn't answered his question affirmatively, Joe interrupted her: ´Please know that in my fantasies you are never unwilling to participate.´

Clarisse was taking a sip of her wine, which prevented her from replying verbally. The look in her eyes spoke volumes though and Joe hasted to add: ´I mean that I never _force_ you to -´

´This brings us back to your mistake in thinking that I feel the need to be submissive.´

´No it _doesn't_ Clarisse. It means that even in my fantasies, which are _free_, as you just acknowledged, I can't let you be hurt.´

´The _punishment_ you fantasize about isn't about depriving me of my tea is it?´

´No,´ Joe said, feeling anxious, ´But I _don't_ want to _hurt_ you.´

´So why punish me?´

´It's a fantasy mi amor! And as I said, I never force you.´

´That's nice. So you can't bare punishing me with me feeling hurt -´

Joe nodded.

´- so you hurt me with me feeling ecstatic about it?´

´You make it sound all wrong.´

Joe took her glass from her and put down next to his own.

´I. Love. You,´ he passionately said, ´_You_ are the woman of my dreams. I _want_ you Clarisse. To worship and adore.´

Clarisse wanted him too. She had been fond of her husband and he'd been fond of her. She'd told herself that it had to do. But now... Good Lord, she needed to feel _loved_. Merde: she deserved it! She swallowed hard and resisted the urge to claim Joseph's lips.

´Oh Joseph...´ she said with a sigh, ´I can't continue this unless I'm ab-so-lu-te-ly sure that you will _never_ act out your fantasies without my consent.´

´_Never_ again. I deeply regret what happened last evening.´

She sighed with relief. It made Joe swallow.

´Good. Then we can move on.´

She cupped his cheek. The innocent gesture was countered by a smile that went straight to his groin. Before Joe knew what was happening Clarisse had straddled his lap. _Her_ hands rested on his shoulders and _his_ naturally found their way to her hips. They sat unmoving, making love with their eyes. After a while their bodies' heath made them act: she squeezed his upper legs with her thighs, he moved his hands up. He briefly cupped her breasts before fumbling with the buttons of her blouse. As he unfastened them, he kept looking into her eyes.

´Black lace,´ he finally said, licking his lips.

´I wanted to tell you that you've been wearing black too long,´ he slowly added, mesmerised by his view, ´but I make an exception for your undergarments.´

´Well said,´ she whispered in his ear.

Her skirt had moved up a little and Joe could see the top of her stockings. He felt her warmth on his lap... If he didn´t control himself, he'd lift her to push her against a wall. When Clarisse rose (first moving even closer to him to support herself against the sofa's back) Joe was both suffering for the loss and relieved. She reached out her hand, her eyes darting over his body.

´What about a dance?´ she said with a luring smile.

Joe accepted the invitation and he wasn't surprised to find that dancing was sweet torture. When she whirled away from him he suggested to have a drink.

A drink? Clarisse didn't want a drink, she wanted to be held. Instead of pouring them wine though, Joseph stared at her. Clarisse didn't have to look down to know what picture she offered. She saw the effect she had on him and it made her feel more feminine than she'd felt in decades. She swayed toward him. Joe couldn't help but notice how different his confidant Queen was from his day-dream lover.

´You like this don't you?´ he said with a knowing smile.

She playfully raised her eyebrows.

´I like it that you like this,´ she replied, trailing a finger from her collar-bone to the swelling of her bosom.

´When those girls at school discussed your outfit-´

She laughed: ´It occurred to me that _you'd_ be more interested in what I was wearing against my skin.´

´And what did I say?´ Joe said in a low voice.

Clarisse was confused and it showed in her eyes. Joe stepped toward her and barred her right shoulder to kiss it. She leaned against him, making an appreciative sound.

´Did I tell you how gorgeous you'd look in lace or silk?´

He looked into her half lidded eyes.

´Tell me, I'd like to make your fantasy come through.´

Clarisse kissed him by way of reply, for his talk about fantasies made her remember the discussion they'd had the previous evening and she didn't want him to continue the subject. To Joe the kiss meant that she was enthusiastic about sharing her fantasy. And a little shy perhaps?

´Did I ask you to undress? To remove your Valentino for a start?´

Clarisse couldn't avoid answering him.

´I didn't imagine what you would say or do,´ she slowly said, focusing on his kisses, ´It just occurred to me that you would not care for Valentino or Hermes. That idea thrilled me.´

´But you didn't picture it?´

She shook her head.

´_Do_ you ever fantasize?´

Clarisse bit her lower lip. She needed to be careful now. She didn't want him to feel bad about _his _fantasies but _she_ merely fantasized about being loved by Joseph and getting familiar with his body. She dreamt of privacy and nights that brought her satisfaction. She couldn't wait to hear him cry out her name. She longed to lie in his arms, feeling his heart slowly return to a normal rhythm.

She'd never shared something like that with anyone, which was why she stared at Joseph's shoulder when she voiced her thoughts. Joseph believed that she was too shy to _truly_ speak her mind and although he relished her words, the fact that she was more like his fantasy Clarisse now than she'd ever been before, aroused him even more. She was irresistible.

He pulled her against him.

´Did you fantasize about stripping for me?´ he huskily said, adding: ´Or was _I_ undressing for _you_?´

His imagination ran away with him. She felt so good in his arms, she smelled divine.

´Perhaps Valentino wasn't allowed at school and you'd have to take it off. In front of me. I'd be the principal and - ´

He felt her stiffen.

´You and I Joseph. _That_ is what arouses me. _That_ is what I _long for_.´

She stepped backwards just a little, resting her hands on his chest.

´I need neither acting nor scripts-´

´We're in this together,´ Joe said, feeling the urge to defend himself, ´a relationship is give and take.´

She took another step backwards, her hands clasped in front of her.

´So if I don't play along, you will not _give_?´

´I'm yours to have already. What I mean is that I like the fun and excitement of role playing and that you could consider to pl -´

He stopped talking when her eyes darted toward the ceiling.

´It's _not_ _a bad thing_. It's innocent. What are you afraid off Clarisse?´

´Am _I_ not enough? Are _we_ not enough?´

´But I _want you_! You alone!´

´As what? A schoolgirl or teacher who strips in front of _principal_ Romero?´

The way she stressed 'principal' angered Joe, but he remained calm and pictured the scene: ´If you want to -´

´I _don't_ Joseph,´ she interrupted him.

´Do you dislike the idea of _me_ being the _principal_?´ Joe said, meaning to have her recall that in real life their relationship wasn't that of equals.

´Stop it! Don't let power corrupt this.´

´Sex _is_ about power.´

He tried a smile to soften his words, but to no effect:

´Not in _my_ bedroom!´


	7. Food for thought

Chapter 7 – Food for thought

At 05.00 am the Queen gave up on hoping to get some proper sleep. Half an hour later on she was seated at her desk.

At six she picked up her phone to order tea and toast. Her call went unanswered which made her glad that her own staff would take over that afternoon.

´Unless _they_ want to go role-playing too,´ she mumbled. Glancing at a picture of her younger son she added: ´Would you have thought Joseph to like that pumpkin?´

Philippe kept smiling at her.

´I miss you little one.´

She continued reading, but it didn't take long before she looked at her son's picture again.

´He could have had me already, if only he wouldn't crave for Clarisse the Submissive or Clarisse as Someone Else.´

She shrugged. ´But enough of that.'

She casually leant forwards. ´I'm going to visit your daughter today. She is _lovely_ Philippe. She will turn into a beauty in a few years time. She's very American and she's got your stubbornness, but I think she also inherited your thoughtfulness, even though she makes a point of being blunt.´

Blinking, Queen Clarisse caressed her son's frozen face.

OoOoOoO

Joe entered his Queen's office under the pretext of updating her on the planned visit to her granddaughter. She saw through him of course, but there was something she needed to discuss _before_ re-entering the argument they'd had the previous evening.

´I heard you talk to Charlotte Joseph.´

Nervously and in an effort to lighten the mood Joe smiled and said: ´You weren't eavesdropping were you?´

The Queen couldn't help but think that eavesdropping would inspire Joseph to fantasize. Her reply (´Seriously Joseph´) sounded cool.

Joe, thinking that perhaps his love, having heard only parts of the conversation, had somehow jumped to wrong conclusions, summarized that Charlotte and he had talked about the consulate's garden. ´I told her how much you love your gardens.´

The Queen rose and walked to a nosegay. ´What you said was: _Clarisse_ loves her gardens.´

Silence.

´_We_ are on first name basis Joseph. I'm not my_ secretary's_ friend though.´

Joe didn't like it that she was in the right.

´I apologize. It was a slip of the tongue ma'am.´

She raised her eyebrows at him.

Joe cleared his throat.

´Are _we_ still?´ he asked.

´Excuse me?´

´Are we still friends? _Can_ we still be friends?´

´Our disagreement is a _lovers' _quarrel Joseph.´

´We aren't lovers. Not in that way. And your staff will arrive today.´

´That is irrelevant.´

´Irrelevant? In Pyrus we were always aware of all the eyes and ears and -´

´We don't have a connecting door between our rooms _there_ do we? We love each other Joseph. We are attracted to each other. Yes, we can be lovers. We need to continue yesterday's discussion first though.´

´Because it takes two to tango.´

´Yes. We simply need to agree on the type of dance.´

In a flash Joe thought about the tango being a macho dance and Clarisse not wanting that and everything having to be done _her_ way.

He cleared his throat. ´It never bothered me before that we have an employer/employee relationship but...´

He didn't finish his line, preferring to have _her_ draw a conclusion.

´Now you feel that _even in the bedroom_ things have to go my way?´

Ignoring her evenly tone, Joe nodded.

´And instead you would like things to go _your_ way.´

´You could _try_ it.´

´Joseph, role playing has the same appeal to me as bungee jumping or Russian roulette.´

She walked toward him and with some effort, for she was upset and she could see the tension building in her lover, she tentatively placed her hands on his chest.

´But _you_ Joseph, _you_ have more appeal to me than _any other man_.´

When he relaxed she moved her hands to the back of his head. Her fingers caressed his skin and his eyes darkened with desire. Clarisse's lips parted slightly and Joseph placed his hands on her hips. The next moment they were kissing but they couldn't enjoy each other very long: footsteps neared the office. When they came to a halt in front of the entrance Clarisse and Joseph parted.

A knock, a ´Yes?´ and Charlotte entered. She handed Her Majesty some copies of photos, the Queen thanked her, inquired whether Miss Thermopolis had made any changes in the plans, Charlotte replied negatively and reminded the Queen to call Mr Motaz. Her Majesty told her aid that she'd already done that. All in all the interruption didn't take long. To Joe, standing in a small bow window with his back against the room, it had been unwelcome as well as lengthy. After the door fell close behind Charlotte, Joseph heard his love click-clacking toward him. Standing behind him she placed her arms around his waist.

´Now where were we?´ she huskily whispered.

Was she acting assertively to get even with him?

´This is easy for you isn't it?´ he said. She made an inquiring sound and moved to look at him. Her right hand rested on his left shoulder.

´Going from private to public,´ he explained.

She smiled. ´And back to private again.´

Joe stared into her eyes. Clarisse, Her Majesty, Clarisse, Her Majesty. She played everyone around her and she played her own parts. Why wouldn't she play for him?

Here she stood, his fair love with her warm smile, her enchanting voice and her elegance.

´Joseph?´

´_Will_ we find a dance we both like?´

´Do you like kissing me?´

His eyes answered her soft question. She smiled. Her left hand trailed down his arm to his hand.

´Do you like holding me? Touching me?´

´Clarisse...´

He cleared his throat. She was doing it again: rendering him helpless with want.

´Do _you_ like to _please me_?´ he said in a gruff voice. He freed his hand from her gentle grasp to touch his ear piece.

´I'm sorry for my remark about sex and power Clarisse. It was... You know I will never _force_ you.´

She took a small step backwards and nodded.

'You would like to... bring_ some_ of your fantasies alive.´

´Very much so,´ Joe replied in a low voice.

She slowly said: ´Expecting me to try something that has no appeal to me and that will make me feel uncomfortable and ignored- ´

´Ignored?´

´Yes: I want you to want _me_. Me, not a fantasy, _me_. Clarisse.´

´I _know_, you told me so, and I told you that there's _no one_ but you.´

He took a small step toward her.

´As a schoolgirl or Miss Obedient...´

´Clarisse...´

She eyed him.

´No one but you,´ he said, ´In my thoughts, in my fantasies. You alone.´

´Fantasies don't have to come true to be arousing still.´

´Bedroom sport doesn't have to be the same all the time.´

´I _hope_ _not_,´ Clarisse countered, ´But _role playing_ is not my cup of tea.´

´Have you ever tasted this brand of tea?´

´Let's not get into a game of words Joseph. You master your fantasies. I can and will not stop you from doing so. Can't fantasizing be enough?´

Sunlight danced on her hair. Joe felt the spell she put on him.

'I have to think about it,' he stiffly said.

OoOoOoO

´It's OK with me,´ Mia said after her grandmother had confirmed that her bodyguard would stay with her. ´But it's not like anyone here means you harm.´

Helen announced that she would prepare tea.

Mia cooed her cat, who was sitting on the stairs, to come over, but the animal made it for the second floor. Mia wondered whether it meant that he didn't like their visitor, but she shook off the feeling and shrugged: ´Cats! We'll just follow him OK? I'll show you my room.´

´I'd like that Amelia.´

When by the sound of it they'd made it upstairs, Helen mumbled: ´Puke on her shoes Louie!´ It wasn't until _after_ she said it, that she realised that the bodyguard might still be around. After a moment she mumbled: ´Would you like some tea too Mr Romero?´

No reply.

She turned around.

´Mr Romero?´ she said.

Joe stopped surveying the room to look at her. Nothing betrayed that his hearing was rather good.

´Miss Thermopolis?´

´Would you like some tea too?´

´No thank you.´

´Coffee? Anything else?´

´No thank you.´

Feeling confident again Helen wondered what the bodyguard had made of the state of tidiness of her house. The pillows on the couch lay in merry disarray, papers and books were spread on tables and jars filled with brushes made a nice tableau with paint cans. Add the cat's hairs, some brown and smelly bananas on a fruit-dish and an almost loaded waste-paper basket to complete the picture.

Having visitors come over normally made Helen clean the place before their arrival. She'd actually started doing so but she'd thought the better of it. The main reason why Helen had not touched a duster was that when the Queen would make a face seeing her perfect shambles, and Mia would notice that, it would win her, Helen, a point.

By the time the water boiled Mia and her grandmother returned. Seeing her daughter come down the stairs instead of using the pole, made Helen think that Professor Higgins had already started moulding.

After the Queen and her hosts had seated themselves, the former made a remark about a square she'd seen in San Francisco and how it resembled a square in Pyrus. Before Helen and Mia realised it their guest was talking about Genovia, mixing descriptions with historical details and personal anecdotes. At one point Mia's eager expression (the Queen was talking about an oddly shaped rock in the ocean, a beacon for sailors and a favourite diving spot for Mia's father and uncle) made Helen inquire whether apart from having ancient towns, Genovia still had ancient laws. Mia at the same moment asked to hear more about her father's sportive activities and Helen wasn't surprised when the Queen answered her granddaughter's question, after which she smoothly changed the subject to Genovia and its people again. From time to time Mia asked her things. Innocent things such as ´Does Genovia take part in the Olympics?´ but Helen had the feeling these _weren't_ questions asked to abide the rules of politeness. When the Queen took a sip of tea, Helen made her a compliment on her blue bolero.

With a smile and perfectly hidden suspicion, the Queen thanked her. She couldn't help but think that Joseph hadn't mentioned her appearance at all.

´Have you worn it at home too?´

´Mum! She doesn't throw away her clothes after wearing them once!´

Addressing her grandmother she added: ´You don't do you?´

´Of course not Amelia.´

´Oh good! It would be _so_ unethical.´

´I understand what you mean,´ the Queen smiled. ´Did you know that recycling is very popular in Genovia?´

´Cool.´

´Yes,´ Helen agreed, ´It's just a pity that old fashioned habits are popular too in Genovia.´

´Did dad tell you about that?´

Helen hoped that Philippe's mother would interfere red faced, denying that her son had ever made any negative remarks about his country. The Queen smiled sweetly and said: ´My guess is that after spending minutes mocking Genovia's rituals he spent hours speaking about the things he loved about his country.´

Mia looked from her mother to her grandmother and back.

´What did he tell you mum?´

´He told me things about etiquette. For instance that there used to be a time when servants had to walk out of a room with their backs to the door, for it was impolite to turn their backs at royalty.´

´Ew!´ Mia cried, ´Grandmother?´

´That rule was cancelled long before your father was even _born_,´ the Queen assured Amelia.

´Was it hard for dad to be a prince? And having to be a king? And dealing with stuff like etiquette? It seems so fake. And from his letters and what mum and you told me he doesn't _seem_ fake. You know?´

´Your father Amelia, was... He was kind and warm. He was... fun-loving and responsible. He understood the needs of others. He could _roar_ with laughter. There was nothing fake about him.´

Helen nodded, her lips curved in a fond smile. Mia noticed it and it moved her.

´Your father didn't let etiquette rule his life, and rightly so,´ the Queen continued, ´Do you know why etiquette was invented?´

´To suppress people?´

Helen smiled in her cup.

´Etiquette provides a guideline for interacting with others. If you were to go to Lilly, and she would have someone over you didn't know, she would introduce the two of you wouldn't she?´

Mia shrugged in acknowledgement.

´She might simply say: Mia, this is Michael's friend Daniel.´

Mia nodded.

´Introducing two people that haven't yet met, is a form of etiquette, of social rules. And social rules are created to make it easier for people to interact. After all, if Lilly would simply ignore her brother's friend's presence, you would find that awkward, wouldn't you?´

Not looking at her mother, Mia thought it over. ´Yeah,´ she agreed, ´I would introduce _myself_ to him then.´

´Exactly! Because it is a social rule.´

Mia laughed. ´I never thought of it that way.´

´Royal etiquette isn't like the one _normal_ people use at all,´ Helen interfered.

´Really grandmother? How does royalty greet -´

´More tea? Would you like some tea too Mr Romero?´

´No thank you Miss Thermopolis.´

´I hope you don't mind me asking, but does etiquette forbid you to drink in present company?´

Mia, not quite knowing who she was addressing, quickly said: ´It's not as if he can get drunk from a cup of tea.´

´That is true,´ the _he_ in question remarked, ´but the split second I'd need to drop my beaker and draw my gun might just be too much.´

Mia grinned, wondering where Mr Black kept his gun, and Helen smiled insincerely before walking to the kitchen. She heard the Queen offering Mia some pictures of her father's family. She got some tea bags, sugar and cookies as she waited for the water to boil and herself to calm down.

The Queen meanwhile commented the photos.

´Who's this?´ Mia asked.

´That is Jean. He used to be your grandfather's personal bodyguard.´

´But he and dad and uncle Pierre are playing soccer in the garden right?´

´Yes they are.´

´Is _your_ bodyguard near you all the time too?´

´When I'm not at the Castle he is.´

´Do you know how weird that is? I'd go nuts if someone followed me around. I mean can you go to the toilet without...´

´In my suite I don't have a guard near.´

´And when you're outside your suite there are cameras everywhere,´ Helen helpfully remarked over her shoulder.

´Cameras! So when you pick your nose, people can _see_ that?´

´Why would I do _that_?´

Mia exchanged a glance with her mother who returned with the tea things. Helen lifted her head, like a ballerina. Mia bit the inside of her cheeks.

As Helen offered her former mother-in-law a cookie, she said: ´I'm not too pleased with you going to Mia's school Clarisse.´

She used the Queen's name to annoy her (thinking that she wouldn't be allowed to do so any more) but she didn't get as much as raised eyebrow in reply.

´I understand that. But you'll appreciate that circumstances made me act the way I did.´

Looking at her granddaughter she added: ´There _is_ after all a lot at stake.´

Mia bent over to adjust a boot-lace.

´The people of our country need to know who will rule them in the future.´

Mia sat up again.

´Shoot,´ she said.

´Shoot?´

´Yeah. That's like: tell me. I guess people your age don't say that right? Or perhaps no one in Genovia says it. I mean there must be words only people in Genovia use. It's weird right, how people who spoke the same language years ago now use different words. Lik h-o-n-o-r. Say, have you visited the Palace of the Legion of Honor? You would spell it h-o-n-o-u-r I guess? You sound British. No offence. How do the people in Genovia speak? Like you?´

´There are _three_ languages in Genovia,´ Helen pleasantly said, ´They speak English, French and Spanish.´

´No shit! All because of that French prince and his Spanish wife? Why couldn't they stick to _one_ language? Would _I_ have to learn French and Spanish?´

The Queen didn't voice the thought that Amelia needed to be taught English as well.

´You'll get excellent tutors Amelia.´

´_If_ I wanna do it grandmother.´

Helen smiled at her girl.

´How long have you been a queen?´

´For forty-eight years.´

´Jeez! You were eighteen?´

The Queen nodded.

´Yes, I became Queen on the day I married the King.´

´_The King_? Why don't you say Rupert? Did you have to call him _Your Majesty_?´

´Not in his face,´ the Queen said with a smile.

Mia didn't know what to think of that. From a pocket of her jeans she produced a small piece of paper.

´I wrote down some stuff, cause otherwise I'll forget to ask you about it. So here's my first question.´

She looked at the paper.

´It's about the age thing you mentioned. You know at school? What's the thing with the twenty-first birthday? I was thinking: dad was _way older_ than me and he wasn't a king. Why would I have to be a queen then? Doesn't seem fair.´

´That is a good question Amelia. You must know that nine years ago your grandfather turned ill. It was believed that he would soon recover so there was no reason for him to abdicate. Your grandfather made _me_ his Regent. In the following years his health remained poor and at some point instead of making me a Regent for a few months again, he made me a Regent for an indefinite period.´

Mia nodded as if this was every day business to her.

´Despite his delicate condition your grandfather died unexpectedly and your father asked me to remain a Regent for some time.´

´Because?´ Helen asked.

´Philippe liked to finish a program he'd set up.´

´What kind of a program?´

´It was a learning course Amelia. He travelled the world to gather information about a great many topics.´

´Smart. But don't you think I should be able to do that _too_? Why should _I_ be a queen at twenty-one? I won't even have finished university by then. Not to mention learning other languages.´

When Helen heard a peeping sound indicating that the dryer had stopped working in mid-program, she excused herself to empty its condensed water container. She didn't feel uncomfortable about leaving Mia with her grandmother: her little girl was doing _just_ fine. She started humming, refusing to think about what _Philippe_ would have wanted their daughter to do. The wind was increasing and Helen went to close some windows. When she returned to the living room she took a moment to observe Mia and the Queen. The girl was sitting cross-legged and she was absent mindedly scratching her arm. Her Majesty was sitting as upright as always. Mia earnestly listened to her. Helen stopped humming.

´Did I miss anything?´

´Hi mum. Grandmother thinks twenty-one is too young too.´

Helen knew that Mia could dread things in the near future, but once for example a test paper was rescheduled into a more _distant_ future, she'd forget her worries for the time being.

´That's nice. But what does Parliament think on the subject? Clarisse, do you _really_ think you'll be able to win over the MPs?´

´Their power derives from their voters Helen and my people will agree with me that twenty-one is too young to rule a country.´

Helen sighed dramatically. ´What if she says yes, and you _won't_ manage to get support for your cause? Mia can't retreat _then_, now can she?´

´Grandmother thought about that mum. She already entered a bill to have some rules of constitutional law changed, one of them being the age when a prince or princess can become a king. Or queen. Sneaky huh?´ the girl said with an appreciative grin. ´And when that's all settled, she will announce that I will take dad's place. _If_ I wanna do it of course.´

´You thought it over didn't you?´ Helen said. ´But to get a bill passed will take months if not years. What about the people of Genovia needing to know who will rule them? Von Troken will gain support.´

´I am aware of that Helen. But as much as I want Amelia to become Genovia's next Queen, I will not expose her to the public until she is ready for it. I will have to counter Von Troken's scheming.´

Mia tilted her head, moved by her grandmother's support.

´Who's Von Troken? Sounds German. It would be a great name for the bad guy in a Bond movie.´

´From his mother's side Baron Von Troken is a descendant from Charles III, your grandfather's grandfather.´

´And he wants to be king?´

´I'm afraid so.´

´Is he a creep?´

The Queen could say a great many things about the man, but for now she admitted that 'creep' was a rather nice synonym for him.

Mia grinned.

´Do you ever say stuff like _creep_?´

´Only in French,´ the Queen said with a twinkle in her eyes. It made Mia laugh aloud.

´Were you like me grandma?´

Both the Queen and Helen noticed the informal address. For reasons of their own they both preferred 'grandmother', but the Queen knew she was making progress, so she didn't correct the girl, who chatted along anyway: ´You know, were you from a normal family? Living in a normal house?´

´I wasn't born a princess,´ the Queen replied.

´Only because nobility don't pass through the female line. Your grandmother Mia, is the great-granddaughter of a Spanish King. Her father was a Genovian count. Philippe told me about the holidays he spent in his mother's childhood castle.´

Mia felt oddly down, but well, _castle_ and _grandmother_ made a match. She was about to ask her grandmother whether _she too _had slept in a tower, when she was startled by the voice of forgotten-he-was-there-Mr-Black: ´Hello Miss Lilly.´

Lilly stepped inside. Not quite knowing how to address Mia's grandmother, she simply said:´Hi everyone.´

´Hi!´ Mia replied.

´It's good to see you again Lilly,´ the Queen kindly said.

´Come have a seat,´ Helen invited. She glanced at her watch to find that Lilly _wasn't _awfully early. Mia had asked her if it was all right to invite Lilly over for dinner. Helen understood that her daughter wanted to discuss things with her friend. She wished _she_'d have someone to talk to as well.

´I'll order Chinese,´ she announced. Addressing the Queen she added: ´Will you join us?´

´I'd like to, thank you.´

´Mr Romero doesn't have to do without _food_, does he?´

´I happen to know that Joseph likes Chinese food,´ the Queen smiled. ´Joseph, will you inform the staff that I will not have dinner at the consulate?´

Joe inclined his head.

While the Head of Security and Helen made their calls, Lilly mentioned that she liked it that Mia now had a grandmother: ´I like spending time with my grandmothers myself.´

´Yeah, but you hate the sweaters granny Brown makes you!´

´That's true, but I love gran.´

´Do _you_ knit?´ Mia asked her grandmother, just to be sure.

´No I don't. I _do_ like to embroider,´ the Queen said.

Lilly started laughing.

´What?´ Mia said, ´There's nothing wrong with embroidery!´

´No no, course not.´ Looking at Mia's grandmother Lilly explained: ´I can just see you making Mia a nice embroidered dress, a princess dress. With smocking too.´

´I'm _not_ a princess.´

Lilly glanced at the Queen, who calmly looked at Mia.

´Well you're the daughter of a prince Mia so -´

´I haven't made up my mind!´ Mia interrupted her friend.

´Have the two of you known each other for a long time?´ the Queen asked.

´For ages,´ Lilly replied for Mia devoted her attention to cleaning a nail. ´We were seven. We met in a play garden.´

She deliberately gave a false recollection and Mia took the bite: ´It was during swimming classes.´

´Was it?´

´Say,´ Mia remarked, ignoring her friend's reply, ´You think this Von Troken bloke will do something villain-like when he's a king?´

´King of what?´

´_Genovia_,´ Mia explained irritated by her friend's redundant question. ´Or do you simply not like him 'cause he's not a Renaldi grandma?´

´Von Troken. Sounds German,´ Lilly said. She got a small smile from the Queen but Mia ignored her completely.

´Accepting a royal heritage has to do with an urge of being useful. The Baron doesn't understand that concept.´

´Who says _I_ do?´

´Oh Amelia, you can't fool me,´ the Queen said with a loving smile. ´For years I only knew you from the letters your mother sent to your father and now that I met you I know _for certain_ that you a sweet bright girl who wants to make a difference.´

Lilly nodded supportively and when she caught Mia's eye, she smiled at her proudly. Mia blushed.

´You're only saying that stuff about making a difference because _dad_ wanted to make a difference.´

The Queen placed a hand on her granddaughter's leg.

´Don't _you_?´

Mia shrugged. Sure she didn't want to live a meaningless life, but if she would make _some_ people happy by being a loyal friend, a valuable colleague, a loving wife and a warm caring mother, wouldn't she make a difference too? It didn't have to be _big_. Right?

Helen returned from placing her order.

´A few minutes and we'll eat. What were you talking about?´

´Oh, stuff. Grandma, what sort of difference did dad want to make?´

´He wanted his people to prosper.´

´Like they'd all have two cars?´ Mia said, disbelief in her voice.

´Prosperity that equals materialism isn't true prosperity. Living in a peaceful country, with a good educational system and good healthcare and freedom, _that _is what your father wanted to guarantee.´

Helen pained her mind for a sharp reply. Mia stared at the note in her hand.

´So that's all arranged for isn't it?´ Lilly remarked, ´I mean, because you said _guarantee_.´

´Freedom and all other rights need _maintenance_. That is what a King or Queen should take care of.´

´Yeah,´ Mia said, wishing her grandmother would leave, ´but Queens _also_ have to take care of protocol and all. Do you ever have _fun_?´

´Do you still like riding?´ Helen inquired without waiting for a reply, ´It's a pity that your schedule barely allows you time to relax, isn't it?´ Eyeing the girls Helen added: ´I remember her telling me about an ordinary day at court. Rise early, one meeting after the other, from dealing with the housekeeper to talking to dignitaries, then making a working visit to some village, dinner with guests, reading, signing.´

´Never a dull moment,´ the Queen said with a smile.

Lilly laughed. ´Have you been a queen for many years?´

´Forty-eight,´ Mia replied.

´Seriously?´ Lilly scrutinized her friend's grandmother. ´You must have been... very young.´

´Eighteen,´ Mia said.

´Man! Hold on: does Mia have to be a Queen in three years time?´

The Queen didn't bother to open her mouth, expecting her granddaughter to answer Lilly's question.

´Six. Well, five sort of.´

´You're kidding girl?´

´Nope.´

´I _will_ fight to have that rule changed Amelia.´

Silence.

´Amelia?´

´I think I heard something outside,´ Mia said and she escaped to the front door where she was greeted by Mr Black: ´Princess.´

Behind her her mother asked Lilly whether her father had already returned from his business trip.

´Don't princess me,´ the girl told the bodyguard. ´My name is Mia. And why don't you just sit down?´

´I prefer to stand.´

´Right.´

The bodyguard pointed at his ear-plug: ´You heard correctly: food is on its way.´

´You've got your men out there?´

´Yes I do.´

The doorbell rang.

Mia stepped towards it, but it was Mr Black who opened the door, received paper bags with food and paid the delivery man.

The girls had a good giggle when the Queen wanted to move to the kitchen table to have dinner.

´When we have pizza or Chinese we always eat _here_,´ Mia explained.

Soon the coffee table was covered with boxes. Helen recommended her former mother-in-law to have some pork from box 18. She'd eaten it herself once and it had given her a restless night. The Queen said that she might try it later on. She may not be used to eat from boxes, but to Helen's chagrin she didn't complain about it and she handled her chop-sticks as if she used them all the time.

Mia started chatting with Lilly about a film they'd seen. Helen joined them and the Queen merely ate some mushrooms and listened until Lilly asked her whether she'd seen 'the bodyguard'. The Queen shook her head.

´Really? But you've got bodyguards yourself. Wouldn't it be fun to see a movie about a bodyguard?´

The girls glanced at Mr Black, who'd taken a seat next to Helen from where he could eye the front door. He had retreated into silence again.

The Queen swallowed her food and replied: ´I'm not a fan of Kevin Costner.´

´Have you ever met any actors?´ Lilly asked.

Mia joined her friend in naming film stars, going 'oh!' and 'ah!' when they learned that the Queen had met among others Sean Connery, Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, Glenn Close, Robert Redford, Morgan Freeman and John Travolta. When the girls couldn't find another name on the spot, the Queen told them that she'd met Ronald Reagan too.

Helen hid a grin. After a moment the girls started laughing, more because of the Queen's serious expression than for sensing the underlying irony.

Joe -in a flash- found some players for a fantasy: the Queen of a small European country and an FBI agent. The former was being questioned for insulting a former President of the United States. Joe's heart wasn't in it though and before the agent could advise the Queen to cooperate, he left the interrogation room to return to the here and now where he helped himself to some more of the rather good pork.

´... ecial to meet so many famous people. Have you ever met Nelson Mandela?´

´Yes I have.´

The girls looked at each other wide eyed.

´Wow!´ they cried out.

´Wouldn't it be great to meet someone like that Mia?´ Lilly said.

Chewing on scrambled eggs with tomatoes Mia voiced her agreement. Her grandmother told her something about the South African hero and about other VIPs as well. She didn't gossip and her comments were kind, even when it concerned people she privately disliked. She spoke about the value of state visits and how wonderful it was to bring people together. The girls looked questioningly and the Queen told them about meeting a high ranked Kenyan civil servant who wanted to start a program to inform mothers about childcare. ´The CEO of a Genovian multinational was part of my train and I knew that her company wanted to contribute to a social cause so I introduced them to each other.´

´And then the company helped to set up the program?´

´Yes they did.´

Mia felt her friend look at her, but she pretended not to see.

´But that's not really _your_ accomplishment, is it?´ she asked before removing a piece of tomato from a tooth.

´But if she wouldn't have introduced those people, they wouldn't have met,´ Lilly reasoned.

´Say, do you girls have a lot of homework?´ Helen casually asked.

´It's Friday,´ Lilly pointed out while at the same time Mia said: ´_Loads_.´

´My staff has arrived today,´ the Queen remarked, feeling that it was about time for her to leave, ´And since I don't want them to spread word about a girl calling me _grandmother -_´

´But you thought Mia was sweet and bright!´ Lilly said.

The Queen nodded understandingly. ´I _do_ Lilly. My staff now consists of my countrymen and I fear that knowing that I have a _granddaughter_ will make them contact Genovian journalists. I want to shield Amelia from the press until she has reached a decision.´

Lilly nodded: ´To become a queen.´

´Or not,´ Helen added, ´You can visit us if you want to.´

´Thank you Helen.´

Helen focused on the coffee table and without knowing what she was doing took the remaining titbit from box 18.

OoOoOoO

With a pleased sigh the Queen stirred her perfect cup of tea. She then watched Joseph making sure that her balcony door was locked, waiting for his reply to her question about the best strategy to handle Amelia.

´Maybe you can tell her about the Renaldi riches?´ Joe said in a hurry to go to his room.

Unaware of her lover's predicament, the Queen shook her head.

´Really Joseph. I don't want _wealth_ to attract her to the throne.´

She took a sip of tea. ´I thought I _almost_ had her. Not in saying yes already, but -´

´She's warming to you and to Genovia. What you told her made an impression.´

´Right _now_ her mother is feeding her different words.´

The Queen sighed and put down her cup. She longed to feel the warmth of Joseph's body. ´Will you not join me on the sofa?´

Joe admired the princess for not giving in just like that but he knew that his support should be for his lovely Queen. He longed to reassure her and hold her, but right now he just _couldn't_.

´All will be well Clarisse. Now if you excuse me I need to execute some checks. Good evening.´

A few moments later on the Queen stared at the door through which Joseph had left.

She hit an unsuspecting pillow. For several minutes she was deep in thought. At last she rose to make some calls.


	8. To see the red light

Chapter 8 – To see the red light

Mia and Lilly were sitting on the winding stairs in Mia's bedroom. The Queen would arrive in the afternoon and the girls were preparing to interview her. Lilly looked at the creased piece of paper her friend had handed her.

´I already asked her about the queen at twenty-one stuff,´ Mia said, fingering a pen. ´Anything _you_ can think of Lilly?´

Having her brother's interest in mind Lilly said: ´Whether you can date anyone you like?´

´Yeah! Let me write it down.´

Lilly handed her the sheet. Using her upper leg as a table Mia noted down some words.

´Whoops...´

´What? Oh, it's just ink. It will get out.´

After rubbing some saliva into the freshly formed stain, Mia said: ´You know Lill, I like her.´

´Me too.´

Mia raised her eyebrows at her friend in mock surprise.

´That Hermes remark was great and she's confident and all. I'd love to get to _know_ my _grandmother_. But the thing is, she _frightens_ me too. She's so...´

´Majestic?´

´Absofuckinglutely.´

´Ah! Other question: can a queen speak her mind?´

Mia made notes. ´I guess not. Remember mum saying that she didn't live with dad because she didn't wanna be imprisoned?´

The previous evening, after the Queen had left, Helen had given them _her_ version of ´once upon a time in Genovia´.

´You think the MPs would really give grandma a hard time if she wouldn't dress in black only?´

´Don't know. It would be _so_ old-fashioned.´

´Mum says it _is_ an old-fashioned country...´

´Have you checked the internet for information?´

´Shit! Never crossed my mind! Well I mean, who's got a grandmother who's a VIP right?´

The girls moved over to Mia's desk. After entering search string 'genovian parliament' Mia soon exclaimed: ´Only _men_?´

´That's sexist!´ Lilly fumed, ´Here's work for you to do!´

´That's not fair!´

´What do you mean?´

´I bet _she_ tried to get women in already. And the people of Genovia don't mind having medieval laws or they would have changed them already. Why should _I_ bother if _they_ don't?´

´Got a point there,´ Lilly admitted, ´Let's find out more. We'll just enter Genovia OK?´

Mia followed her friend's suggestion. Lilly read aloud the result of the search. ´Tourist information, Genovian lace. No embroidery. Genovian pears. Pears? Hotels in Genovia, history, culture, economy, here: royal house.´

Click.

´Look at that! Even the freaking page is elegant. You think grandma made it?´

The girls giggled.

´There's so much to read here. Where shall we start?´

´Uhm. News, who's who, history, organisation, castles, photos...´

´Castles,´ Mia decided, ´I wanna see where dad lived.´

Click.

´Holy shit!´

´Woa Mia! Hahaha. Go girl, you've got a castle!´

´It's not _mine_!´ Mia insisted, but her eyes sparkled. ´Look, and there's a freaking _Winter_ _Palace_. And a fortress at the Mediterranean Sea!´

´Don't!´ Lilly complained when her friend clicked to another section, ´Show me the castles!´

´Business first. I completely forgot about uncle Pierre. Really _stupid_. How could I for-´

´What's this about an uncle?´

´Haven't I told you?´

Mia went to her bedside table to get the picture her grandmother had given her. She glanced at it until she sat down again, nearly falling next to her chair.

´Oops. Great. You know grandma would never do that. Here's a picture she gave me. That's my dad, see? He's got my hair.´

´He does! His brother's rather tall right?´

´He's older,´ Mia said, clicking on a button titled HRH Prince Pierre.

´Older? But he's a lunatic so he can't be a king?´

´He's a priest. Which is why dad became crown prince.´

´Weird. You read about him, I make a note for you. Uncle P.´

´Thanks,´ Mia absent mindedly said.

´Say, think I can be your secretary?´

´Huh?´

´In case you wanna be a queen. I mean otherwise I'll have to have an _access pass_ when I visit you.´

´That's what mum said all right.´

´You don't believe her?´ Lilly softly said.

Mia looked at her friend. ´It's all so strange... And what she said about not being able to do something normal... If _we_ wanna go to the park, we go to the park. Simple as that.´

´Well, when you have a castle, I guess the garden will be like a park.´

´That's different! Like if we wanna go to the movies -´

´You might have a cinema in the castle!´

´Ow! There could be a huge swimming pool in the dungeons and a bowling lane too Lilly, but I would be...?´

´Having fun indoors?´

´I would be...? Lilly! Imprisoned!´

Lilly blushed. ´Sorry. Didn't think of that.´

Mia sighed. ´I'll ask grandmother about it. Or Mr Black...´

´Good idea Your Highness!´

´Could you _stop_ that!´

´Just _kidding_ girlie.´

´This is _not_ funny! It's mind blowing! I didn't ask for this to happen.´

Mia picked up Fat Louie and caressed him attentively.

´But it _happened_ Mia,´ Lilly softly said.

After a while Mia mumbled: ´My luck huh?´

OoOoOoO

The Queen had mixed feelings about her granddaughter having turned into a Siamese Twin. Amilly. She had just answered a question about what she believed to be the most important task for a queen. The girls, who were seated on a couch, looked at each other and nodded in a _I told you so_ way.

´Mia said you would say that,´ Lilly redundantly remarked. ´And we figured that with you having been so young when you became a queen, you must also have been very much in love with her grandfather?´

´Yeah. 'Cause when you're _that_ young, you just _don't care_ for 'serving' your people. You wanna have fun. Well, you know, not just fun, learn stuff too, but enjoy yourself. Make friends, go out. So it must have been love,´ Mia said.

Helen, who was mixing paint nearby, wondered how the Queen would talk herself out of this.

´I was very fond of your grandfather.´

´_Fond_? That doesn't sound like foot-popping kiss stuff.´

Casting a quick glance at her mother, Mia added: ´Were you happily married?´

´Your grandfather and I were close friends,´ the Queen replied. Looking from one girl to the other she added with a smile: ´A foot-popping kiss?´

´Uhuh. That's when you get a kiss that is _so_ good that you bend a knee -´

´Making your foot go up,´ Lilly added.

Seeing her grandmother's expression Mia rose to _show_ her what she meant.

Joe, still as a statue, inwardly smiled at seeing the princess's demonstration. He wasn't insecure about his kissing skills but he would never cause a foot-popping kiss: it wasn't Clarisse's thing. Thinking about her actual responses to his kisses his heart beat increased. Would she ever kiss him again? This morning she had been acting very professionally, and he was sure it had to do with his behavior the previous evening. He hadn't had a chance to explain why he had left her in a hurry. Blasted Chinese food. He stopped thinking about what he would tell Clarisse once the opportunity arose when he noticed movement in the room. Miss Lilly was walking over to the princess's mother to glance at her painting, leaving her friend and the Queen to talk among themselves. After paying Miss Thermopolis a compliment, the girl wandered over to him.

´Miss Lilly,´ Joe said with a nod of his head.

The girl looked embarrassed. ´Please don't call me _miss_. Makes me feel I'm some woman from the South.´

Joe eyed her and she giggled.

´Say, does Mia's grandmother ever sneak out and go to town or so?´

´When Her Majesty wants to go into the garden, she can _sneak out_ as she pleases.´

´Yeah, but can she go to _town_ without you? Or other bodyguards?´

´Can you picture your president to go anywhere without protection?´

Lilly thought about it for a moment and shook her head. ´Not really. So you're with her all the time? Like when she wants to go for a stroll in the garden. _Her_ garden that is.´

´The grounds are secure, so I will only accompany her when she wishes me to.´

´To have someone to talk to?´

Joe nodded.

´What do you talk about? Just curious you know. I mean, does she talk about normal things, like her dog, or something she saw on TV, or a book she read?´

´Yes she does.´

´What if she wants to go to town and visit a warehouse?´ Lilly asked.

´The Queen will alert the security staff and then arrangements will be made.´

´Like what?´

´The building needs to be checked for one.´

´Have you checked our school too?´

´Yes I have.´

´And Mia's house?´

´Her Majesty didn't want me to do that.´

´So if _she_ says _no_, you won't do it? If she says that she wants to go to the movies and she insist to go right _now, _I mean really _right now_, you'll say OK? Or if she wants to walk on the Golden Gate Bridge and she _orders_ you to take her there?´

´The Queen knows that we are assigned to keep her safe from harm. She accepts that it brings restrictions but she understands the danger of being carefree with her security.´

´Uhm,´ Lilly replied, ´Is her family loved in Genovia?´

´Absolutely,´ said Joe.

Lilly thought of other question to ask Mr Black, but an exclamation from Mia distracted her.

´Fifteen? That's _medieval_! Lilly! Mum just told me that grandma was engaged to marry my grandfather when she was only fifteen!´

In a calm voice the Queen said that in 1950 being engaged at that age was not uncommon.

´It's the twenty-first century now! I can marry whoever I want right?´

´Of course you can. Well, Parliament will have to approve your choice. And so will I.´ The Queen raised her voice when she saw that her granddaughter wanted to interrupt. ´When you find someone to love, someone who loves _you_, I will be happy to defend your choice in Parliament.´

Lilly, amazed at what the Queen had said, took a seat on a chair for Helen had taken _her_ spot. Helen waited for the right moment to strike.

´I don't have to marry when turning eighteen right?´

´No, you don't little one.´

´_Tell_ her,´ Helen demanded.

´Tell me what mum?´

´There is a rule saying that a female heir to the throne must be married before becoming a Queen.´

´You will have that rule changed too, right?´ Mia addressed her grandmother.

´She already tried that,´ Helen revealed.

´Without there being any princesses the Members of Parliament didn't want to spend time on the subject,´ the Queen explained casually.

´It didn't have anything to do with their precious time,´ Helen boldly said, ´They simply feel that a woman isn't fit to rule on her own.´

´What!´ the girls exclaimed.

´_Some_ Genovians have old fashioned ideas, I will not deny that. Then again: to most _Europeans_ even the _left_ wing of the Republican party is old fashioned.´

´Republicans won't allow for fifteen year old girls to get engaged!´

´Nor will this Queen,´ the Queen said with a smile. ´And you yourself _know_ that I won't stand between two people who love each other Helen.´

Helen, not knowing what to say in reply, offered to make tea. Lilly excused herself to go to the bathroom. It took some time ere they returned and when they did they found that the Queen had seated herself next to Mia. The former was talking about a funny encounter Philippe had had on a foreign trip and when she stated that it was important to be open to ideas from other cultures, Mia nodded with conviction. Helen was not pleased that she could not oppose the Queen's point of view and that showed in the way she put the cups on the coffee table. Suddenly her grandmother's poise, which Mia had admired minutes ago, annoyed her. Her eye fell on Mr Black, who was just _standing_ there, awaiting orders. Jeez!

The Queen, seeing Amelia's expression alter, introduced another subject. Gesturing at a book lying nearby she mentioned that she herself had started a project to promote children to read. ´Apart from being able to meet people from many cultures, starting _pet projects_ is one of the satisfying advantages of being a queen.´

Mia wanted her life to be the way it was a month ago.

´I was just thinking: did you marry grandfather to have power? Power corrupts you know.´

Mia meaningfully glanced from the Queen's well coifed hair to her pearl necklace to her designer outfit, after which she raised her eyebrows to suggest that looking like that was proof of accepting at least bribery. To her grandmother's right she saw Lilly look at her disapprovingly. She focused on her grandmother.

´Power _may_ corrupt,´ the Queen agreed, ignoring the insult. ´But would you allow that to happen to you little one?´

Mia, avoiding her grandmother's gaze, remained silent.

´Power can initiate _good_ things. I found that there were many children who didn't grow up with books. Something had to be done about that. Your father was seven years old back then and he liked to listen to bedtime stories just as much as he liked to read.´

Information about her father couldn't fail to interest Mia. ´What was his favourite children's book?´ she sheepishly asked.

The Queen named the title of a book her son had once sent his daughter.

´I know that book! He sent it as a birthday present when I was nine!´

´When your father was that age he wanted to become a spy in his brother's service,´ Helen lied.

Mia turned to look at her mother. ´That's cute!´

´Yeah: Philippe Bond!´ Lilly said.

Helen ignored her. ´Of course that wasn't to be, because _Pierre too_ had a dream.´

Tensed as she was the Queen noticed Fat Louie descending the stairs.

´I always admired the fact that you had supported Pierre when he gave up his right to the throne,´ Helen told her former mother-in-law.

Feeling Joseph's eyes on her calmed Clarisse down a little. ´I was grateful that _Philippe_ _accepted_ it,´ she countered.

´I guess that if you hadn't had a spare, you wouldn't have been so lenient toward Pierre.´

Helen saw the panic in her daughter's eyes, so –with some regret- she spared the Queen from giving a reply by adding: ´Of course, there is a spare even now: the former heir.´

´That is not the way _Parliament_ will see it.´

Addressing her granddaughter the Queen said: ´It's overwhelming to be the heir to the throne isn't it?´

Mia swallowed hard.

´Oh darling.´

Mia looked at her mother. Helen radiated SAY NO.

Mia looked back at her grandmother.

´Grandma I just -´

The Queen grasped the girl's hand and tried to make her look at her.

´Amelia.´

´Miaow!´

Mia, needing the comfort her cat could offer, cooed his name. Louie ignored her and stretched to nuzzle the Queen's free hand, which lay on her upper leg.

´Miaow.´

Luis jumped on the Queen's lap.

Mia tilted her head and thoughtfully looked at the picture of her grandmother caressing her cat.

´Please consider _carefully_ before you make up your mind.´

Mia bit her lower lip. At last she nodded.

...

...

Author's note: I hope you will take a moment to review.


	9. With friends like that

Author's notes: this chapter takes place immediately after chapter 8.

Chapter 9 – With friends like that you don't need enemies

´Consider _carefully_?´ Helen said, ´But you need an answer before you return home don't you? I checked the internet: the Genovian Parliament is getting impatient. They want to know who will rule them before Foundation day. That's in less than two weeks time.´

Mia was only vaguely aware that her grandmother was replying to her mother's remark. She focused on a pile of books her grandmother had brought with her. Most of them were high school books from Genovia about Genovian history. She and Lilly had paged through them already. Her grandmother had told her that some had been her father's.

´Amelia?´

´Huh?´

´I said that - ´

Following her own train of thought Mia interrupted her grandmother: ´Dad loved Genovia didn't he? He loved it so much, that he even left mum and me.´

The Queen kept caressing Fat Louie. ´Yes he did Amelia.´

The cat started to purr.

´It's a good example of the servitude of royals,´ Helen remarked.

´I will not say that serving a country is always wonderful,´ the Queen told her granddaughter. ´Not being able to live with you and your mother pained your father.´

´But he did it. He left us,´ Mia thoughtfully said.

´He faced a dilemma,´ the Queen said. ´He had to make a choice.´

Mia inhaled deeply.

´And I will make mine,´ she stated as she rose.

´You mentioned before that you need to contact the Genovian Prime Minister?´ Helen said.

The Queen kept looking at her granddaughter.

´It is a very important choice to make Amelia. Not only for you, but for your father's country also. I count on it that you will not take it lightly. And remember that you do _not_ need to make it overnight.´

Mia avoided her grandmother's gaze. She cleared her throat. ´Yeah. You gonna leave now, to talk to your PM?´

´You need some time alone. I understand that. I will be back at seven.´

OoOoOoO

Mia and Lilly danced to some loud music and then dropped themselves on a huge seat cushion.

´This is freaking me out,´ Mia said, catching her breath. ´It's like… it's… insane. How am I supposed to be a queen?´

´Five years ago you felt dizzy when you were standing on a ladder and now you climb girl!´

´Your point?´

´You shouldn't stop doing this just because you're afraid Mia.´

´Oh, so I'm a coward?´

´No! It's just…. It's new. But compared to other jobs it could be really interesting. You don't have a job in mind you wanna do right?´

´The fact that I don't know what to do with my life doesn't mean that I have to take _this_ option. I'm only fifteen!´

´No no no, that's not what I mean! It's more like: you don't wanna be a doctor and nothing else.´

´Why do you come up with becoming a doctor? Is only wanting to cure people good enough an excuse not to become a queen?´

´Easy girl!´

Mia glanced at her friend.

´You can always run to a nunnery,´ Lilly said in an attempt to make her friend smile.

It didn't work.

´It's not fair,´ Mia sulked.

´Sorry,´ Lilly said.

Mia gathered herself together. ´I can see that I will mean something for a lot of people when I become a queen, I _can_, but I don't like being in the foreground and don't tell me that you would already have said yes in case grandma had been your grandmother. You're a republican!´

´No I'm not.´

´OK, we're Democrats. But we favour republics right? I mean...´

´Doc took over the garage from his dad.´

´So?´

´It's not exceptional for someone to follow in their father's footsteps.´

´_So_?´

Lilly shrugged. ´I don't know.´

The girls were silent for a while.

´You'll have power Mia. Real power. The kind of power that you or I will never have unless we became the new Oprah. The power to _do_ something good.´

´And then people like us will look at _Queen Amelia_ and say who the hell does that stiff doll think she is? And you will visit me in backward Genovia and you will dislike my children for being spoiled brats and you'll hate me for all the servants I have and for me having gotten used to that. Imagine, I bet my grandmother has a servant to check the temperature of her bath and another one to remove her teabag from her cup.´

Mia threw a rubber cat ball against the wall. It bounced back. She threw it again.

OoOoOoO

Joseph listened as his fair Queen gave her Prime Minister an update. He was surprised that she seemed so negative about the progress she had made so far for _he_ was convinced that she would skillfully persuade her granddaughter to accept the Genovian throne.

´I've contacted His Royal Highness,´ the Queen said. In reply to what Motaz said she looked at the ceiling. It aroused Joseph that she allowed him to see her impatience.

´No, I _don_'_t_ want him to meet her yet. He would only do harm. I told him that if she refuses, he is next in line.´

´Incroyable,´ Clarisse said with a sigh after she at last had broken the connection. ´You would think I wouldn't have to spell it out.´

She left her desk and took a seat on a sofa. Joseph left his spot by the window.

´When did you call your son?´

´Yesterday evening, when you were dealing with Miss Thermopolis's scheming.´

On the way back to the consulate Joseph had revealed why he had left her the previous evening. Clarisse had been quick to understand that Mia's mother would have wanted _her_ to suffer bowel problems rather than her bodyguard. Her relief that Joseph had not sought to avoid her, was greater than her annoyance at Helen's behavior.

´What did he say?´ Joseph inquired as he sat down next to his Queen. He placed his arm on the back rest and Clarisse leaned against him. Joseph was grateful that she still felt comfortable with him.

´He reminded me that he had chosen a different path. I said that if he could change his destiny once he could change it twice.´

´Will you force him?´

´I can't force him any more than I can force Amelia.´

Clarisse felt the warmth of Joseph's hand on her shoulder.

´All I can do is manipulate them.´

´Like you did Louie.´

´For all the good it did,´ Clarisse sighed. ´If only I could lure Amelia with the scent of tuna.´

OoOoOoO

´What about Buffy?´ Lilly said.

´Huh?´

´The vampire slayer! She was told she had a task and she accepted it.´

´First: she gets to dust vampires. Second: she has friends.´

´You have _me_, you stupid! And Michael too!´

´Will you move to Genovia with me?´

´Well…´

´You're my friend and we will see each other using _webcams_! If I'm _allowed_ a webcam. It will not be like having Xander and Willow around.´

´You'll make more friends.´

´Princess Amelia might, _I_ _won't_. How many friends do you think grandmother has? _Real_ friends. Friends who like hanging around with Clarisse, and not with _Her Majesty the Queen_?´

Lilly tried to think of a reply but Mia moved on.

´OK, say that I _will_ have friends, just like Buffy. Will I get out after a couple of seasons?´

Lilly opened her mouth and closed it again.

´See! It's a job for life. And does my grandmother look _happy_?´

´What makes you think she's unhappy?´

´The way she sits and talks.´

´She's very composed. Some people are like that.´

Mia sighed. ´You know, I can see that a queen can't just _do_ things… like, uhm, couple of months ago you and I went to a play. And it sucked and we left during the interval, remember?´

Lilly nodded.

´Now, I understand that a queen can't do that. The players would feel awful. I mean, when _we_ left, no one cared, but if _she_ would have sneaked out, well not that she _can_ sneak out because everyone will _look_ at her. All the time. All the time Lill! I mean, how can someone _live_ like that?´

´Maybe she got used to it? Fifty years ago it can't have been as bad as it is now.´

´But it _is_ bad now. She's restricted Lill. And I don't wanna be restricted.´

´You've made up your mind then?´

´Nope.´

Mia groaned and rolled herself out of the seat cushion. ´Wanna drink too?´

Lilly got up and the girls made it downstairs.

´Shall I order pizza?´ Helen inquired.

´OK. Do you want a soda too mum?´

´All right.´

Mia got three glasses and opened the refrigerator. ´Mum, do you think dad would have wanted me to become a queen?´

Helen couldn't read her daughter's expression for the refrigerator door shielded Mia from her view. As calm as she could Helen replied: ´If he _did_, don't you think he would have taken you with him?´

Mia slammed the door shut.

´He wouldn't have _kidnapped_ me?´

´I think his _parents_ _would_ have thought of that,´ Helen said, hesitatingly, ´And royalty is still powerful…´

´But they _didn__'t_,´ Lilly reminded them.

´Yeah. Dad told his family that they should leave me alone. And they agreed.´

´He wanted you to have a normal childhood,´ Lilly said.

´He wanted her to have a normal _life_,´ Helen told Lilly. The way Mia's mum eyed her reminded Lilly of Mr Black and she swallowed her reply.

´What pizza do you want Lilly?´ Helen asked sweetly as she dialed a number.

´Say mum?´ Mia asked after Helen had placed their order, ´You think grandma will continue to visit us even if I say no? It's not as if I've decided what to do yet, but just in case…´

For the first time since the Queen had contacted her Helen felt she should speak in her support. ´Sweetheart, your grandmother is _not_ the type of woman who will abandon you for choosing your own path.´

OoOoOoO

´I think Mia's got an opportunity here,´ Lilly said. ´Just wondering, if _I_ were your granddaughter, would you be happy about the prospect of me ruling Genovia?´

´Both you and Amelia are intelligent young women who are interested in the world around you. So yes, I would.´

´But if Lana, the Hermes girl from school -´

Lilly waited for the Queen to nod.

´ - if _she_ were your grandchild you would have asked her to consider taking the throne too, right?´

´I can't imagine Helen to have raised a daughter who only cared for fashion,´ the Queen said with an endearing smile.

_Witch! _Helen thought and she answered the smile as if to thank for the compliment. ´Nor can I Clarisse. Of course Lilly's remark proves that this doesn't have to do with Mia but everything with Genovia.´

´If only she could have more time,´ Lilly mused.

´Hello! I'm right here!´

Mia walked to the sink and tore of a piece of kitchen paper. As she cleaned her glasses with it, she said: ´What frightens me most is not the limited time I've got to decide. _You_ frighten me grandma! I don't want to turn into you. Ever!´

Helen stopped caressing Louie for a moment. Lilly looked at her friend wide-eyed. Joe's jaws clenched. The Queen adjusted her silk shawl and smiled.

´You are _you_ Amelia. You will do things _your_ way.´

´They will compare me to you and I won't stand a chance,´ Mia said defiantly. She was still cleaning her glasses.

´Can _you_ send text messages?´

Feeling uneasy Mia replied: ´Duh!´

The Queen got the meaning. ´See? So _you_ will be able to connect to Genovians under twenty.´

Mia glanced at her grandmother who gestured her to sit down again. Mia did as she was bid. However, she stumbled over one of Louie's toys and she more or less _fell _on the couch.

´This never happens to you right?´ Mia said accusingly.

´Have you ever knocked over a suit of armour? I did. When I was seventeen.´

´Cool!´ Lilly replied.

´Really?´ Mia said with a grin.

_Where__'s the stake when you need it?_ Helen privately raged. ´Will Mia _really_ be allowed to do things her way? Speak American English without being called a foreigner, wear the clothes of her choice? Will she be as _free_ as she is now?´

´No she won't. Every job comes with restrictions.´

Mia stared at her shoes. Joseph privately applauded Clarisse for both her honesty and her diplomacy.

´My cousin Alex has a weekend job as a waiter and he's got to wear long sleeves all the time to cover his tattoos,´ Lilly said.

´When his shift is done he can change into his regular outfit,´ Helen said. In a compassionate voice she added: ´A _queen_ never stops working.´

´I _do_ relax Helen,´ the Queen said good-humouredly and she chatted about the restrictions other professionals, such as architects, were faced with. She soon lost her granddaughter's attention even though half a year ago, according to Helen's letter to Philippe, Amelia had taken an interest in architecture. Mia talked to Lilly about her car and though the latter tried to get her friend to listen to her grandmother, she was only successful in getting Mia pissed with her. Mia offered everyone ice cream. The Queen and Lilly declined so Helen _loved_ to have some even though it would be hard to eat and hold on to Louie at the same time.

´Mia really likes the castles,´ Lilly told the Queen in a whisper when her friend had made it to the kitchen. ´You could talk about that.´

´I don't want her to be attracted to the job by the riches it brings dear,´ the Queen whispered back.

´As if my girl would _care_ for that,´ Helen softly added, angry that Clarisse was so sensible.

Meanwhile Mia attacked the ice.

´If you warm the spoon it will be easier,´ a deep voice nearby softly said.

´Jeez!´

´I'm sorry for startling you princess,´ Joe said.

Mia cast him a glance. ´I'm not a … What is it?´

´It is _your_ decision to make whether you accept your throne or not. But please, don't hurt my Queen in the process.´

´What do you mean?´ Mia asked, blushing.

´You said that you didn't want to turn into her. That was painful.´

Mia dropped some ice on the sink. ´Shit.´

´As your grandmother said: you are you. You will be another queen than she is. And I'm convinced you will make a fine queen.´

´You would have said that to anyone. Doesn't matter who would sit the throne.´

´It _does_. A queen must love her people or they will suffer under her rule.´

Mia sighed. ´She _told_ me about Von Troken if that's what you mean. If the people of Genovia accept him, well, that's their choice right? They don't like him? Get a president or find some other bloke.´

´Your grandmother knows that you are the best for Genovia.´

´I'm not sure whether Genovia is the best for me.´

´Your father believed that it was,´ Joe bluffed.

´Ice spoons!´ Mia said and she searched the cutlery tray.

OoOoOoO

In the garden of the Genovian consulate in San Francisco an evening bird was singing. Under a blossoming bush the wrap of a nutricious candy bar was carefully opened.

Mr Chanel had been hiding underneath the bush for over a day, and the food made him forget for a moment that his limps were stiff. His bodily discomfort was a small price to pay for having entered enemy territory. With him being as close to the bitch as he could get, the injustice done to his papa, who had been the King's treasurer, would soon be revenged. _She _had accused his father of embezzlement and he had been fired on the spot, without a chance to explain himself. Papa's loyalty to the royal family had remained though and he had chosen to leave Genovia rather than to defend himself in front of a judge. From a man of importance, a true friend at court, he had become a nobody.

She had no business coming to San Francisco and he would tell her that before killing her.

OoOoOoO

Lilly left some fifteen minutes after the Queen and Mr Black. Mia made it for her tower for she needed to be alone. She wasn't proud of herself. She had spoken her mind and now one voice in her head tried to convince her that since her grandmother had not stopped smiling she hadn't been offended while another voice reminded her of what Joe had said.

She picked up the diary and put it down again and she repeated this several times. She then studied the Christmas picture of her father and his family. After a few minutes of brooding she grabbed her bag and went downstairs.

´Lilly forgot her cell mum. She really needs it. I'll bring it to her.´

OoOoOoO

Joseph whirled his scotch. Clarisse had asked him to join her for a drink in her suite and had readily accepted her invitation, if only so he could repeat what he had told her in the car on the way back: that her granddaughter liked her, no matter what she had said. He hadn't had the chance to comfort his beloved though for her first priority was to call her son. Joseph's eyes followed Clarisse as she paced the room.

´She doesn't _know_ Genovia. To her Von Troken is a suitable name for a villain in a Bond film. _You_ on the other hand know what the man will do to our beloved country. Can you _live_ with that?´

(…)

´Would it be a Christian thing to surrender your country to une _vipère_, un _vautour_!´

(…)

´Pierre ça suffit! Genovia will be _happy_ to accept you for its King.´

(…)

´You are _not_ a stranger to them. They have you in their hearts -´

(…)

´Will your prayers be _all_ you will give Genovia? Will they protect freedom of speech? Will they have mercy for the needy?´

(…)

´You know as well as I do that having that creep in a powerful position will be disastrous.´

(…)

´It's a description your niece came up with.´

(…)

´She is lovely. Now, as a king you don't have to lose your faith.´

(…)

´Because there is only _one_ subject that needs to be discussed now.´

(…)

The Queen's expression softened and her voice did accordingly. ´Once all this is dealt with, you will meet her. Pierre, I know it's frightening. But surely you have given it a thought, ever since Philippe died?´

At some point during her son's reply the Queen sat down on the arm rest of Joseph's chair and she placed her free hand on his shoulder.

´So if she says _no_ and _if_ you say yes you want me to remain a regent until you've readjusted to life as a prince?´

Clarisse looked at Joseph intently. Joseph experienced the most intimate moment in their relationship: she included him in her future. If she remained a regent, their affair would very likely have to remain in the shadows for some more years. He had no doubt that if he would _object_ to that she would grant her son's request anyway but it just _didn__'__t matter_: she still wanted them to be together. He nodded. Clarisse bit her lower lip and caressed his cheek.

´_If_ Parliament agrees I will be a regent for a while longer.´

(…)

´I understand why you hope that. But if she _doesn't_ _I_ hope that _you_ will not hide behind your priest's collar.´

Clarisse broke the connection. Joseph saw guilt and determination wash over her face.

´Come my love,´ he said as he rose, ´you need a stroll in the evening breeze.´

OoOoOoO

Having a feeling that her mother would call Lilly to check her story Mia went by her friend's house to secure an alibi.

´Going to the consulate are you?´ Lilly said.

Mia shrugged.

´Mum!´ Lilly called out over her shoulder, ´Mia and me are going for a walk. We'll be back soon!´

She closed the front door and got her scooter.

´Before you talk to your grandmother, let me say something,´ Lilly said. ´I've been thinking and it wasn't fair of me to say that becoming a queen would be an opportunity. It's no excuse, I know, but I was excited. It wasn't until I heard my sweet friend Mia speak unkind words to her grandmother that I realised how hard this is on you. I'm very sorry for that.´

Lilly's words lifted Mia's spirits. ´Thanks. I'm going over to apologize for what I said to her. Not to say yes or no.´

´You haven't made up your mind?´

´Mum doesn't want me to do it. I guess dad would have liked me to follow in his footsteps. Grandma will be disappointed if I don't do it. She longs for me to say yes.´

´What does _Mia_ want?´

´Mia wants everyone to be happy.´

The girls started scooting.

´That's impossible.´

´I know.´

They didn't talk for a while because they had to pay attention to the heavy traffic but once there were less vehicles on the road they started chatting again.

´This is our story: we've come to interview Miss Kutaway about the diplomatic service. She will find a way to get me to see grandma. What do you think?´

´Smart. _If_ we arrive there. Maybe we should have taken the other road, the one we took the first time.´

´We'll get there. I said I didn't want to be like her, but I _do_ admire her. She is so confident. You should have seen her in Gupta's office. As if she owned it, without being haughty. It would be great to do that. And being a queen _would_ give me the opportunity to do things. I could raise awareness that people should eat less meat. Or use their bicycles instead of their cars.´

´Mia.´

´Yes?´

´I know many confident women and most of them do _not_ wear crowns.´

Mia didn't reply immediately and when she spoke it was to comment a partly barred crescent in a garden wall to their right.

´Grandma mentioned to Charlotte that she wanted to have jars in the wall replaced by bricks. I think this is it.´

They rounded a corner and Mia nearly collided with a man who was standing behind a black car.

´There's nothing to see here,´ he addressed them. He was wearing dark sun glasses, an ear plug, a bullet proof vest and a holster under his arm pit. ´We've got to go there,´ Mia said, gesturing shakily toward the consulate.

´It's not open to the public. Move on,´ the man said in a demanding tone of voice.

Mia was all goose-flesh. She looked passed the man and saw a big black van and more armed men-in-black with ear plugs. There was screaming coming from the garden.

´This is my city! Let me purify it! That slut shouldn't have come here! Let go of me! Let me FINISH THE BITCH!´

Two tall tough looking men had a hard time escorting a shouting hand cuffed man to a car. The man had a scratch on his cheek and a broken nose but Mia didn't notice that. All she saw were the rage in the man's eyes and his blood covered shirt. Far away Lilly asked whether anyone got hurt. A negative reply followed.

Mia went home.


	10. End of story

Author's note: Chapter 10 completes _Once upon a time in San Francisco_. I liked to spend time with some characters I haven't used a lot in my stories, such as Miss Gupta, Lilly and last but not least Helen. A lot will happen in this chapter. Hint: at the bottom you've got an opportunity to let me know what you think of this story.

Chapter 10 – End of story

By the time Joseph escorted Her Majesty into the consulate the guards having rushed outside as well as the attacker's screams had alerted the household staff and they had hurried to the hall.

The Queen smiled at them reassuringly and stated that she was all right and that there was no longer a threat. The maids, the butler and Miss Kutaway as well privately questioned Her Majesty's words.

It wasn't just because her personal bodyguard had blood on his knuckles and looked fearsome. Another thing that seemed to defy the Queen's words was that the attacker was still screaming outside. And last but not least there was the Queen's appearance. Her clothes were stained and a sleeve of her coat had a cut. Her silk shawl was missing, and nothing could hide the marks on her neck.

Charlotte saw a man enter the hall. From the way he walked but mostly from the bullet proof vest he was wearing Charlotte concluded that he was a police officer. She heard the Queen say that she would retire for the night and that she didn't require their assistance until the following day. Not wanting the policeman to bother Her Majesty, Charlotte gestured him to wait.

´That's all right Charlotte; I will handle it,´ the Queen interfered. She instructed her audience that they were not to talk about the incident and then kindly dismissed them.

OoOoOoO

When Joseph found himself in Clarisse's suite and looked at her neck, he relived the attack once again. He shivered.

The wind had caught her silk shawl. Joseph had gone after it, already picturing caressing Clarisse's skin when arranging the accessory around her neck. Something large had broken through a bush. He had turned around instantly. A man. Joseph had called code red. A knife flashing. Clarisse on the ground. Hands on her throat. The satisfaction of hearing his nose break.

´I'd better wear a turtle neck tomorrow,´ Clarisse said, sounding far less controlled than she had planned to.

She had a lot on her mind but she had faced death and all she wanted now was to _have_ Joseph before it was too late. Her worries about being involved in role playing had shrunk to insignificance.

Joseph would be happy to simply comfort Clarisse. He had nearly lost her though and he longed to make love to her as if the sun would never rise again. The fantasies he had had were forgotten: having the real woman was better than any fantasy could be.

They flawlessly read the want on each other's faces and they didn't speak until they lay in bed, their bodies covered in sweat.

´When did _that_ happen?´ Clarisse breathed.

´Uhm?´

´_That_,´ Clarisse said, gesturing at the floor.

Joseph rested himself on his elbows and saw a trail of clothes.

He looked at Clarisse's puzzled expression and kissed her shoulder.

´_That_ is our road to paradise,´ he whispered. Clarisse grinned, but she became serious when she saw the awe on Joseph's face. Tenderly kissing his lips she said: ´Do you want to go on top now?´

´Let's go slow and easy this time,´ Joseph said in a cracked voice.

´Let's do that.´

OoOoOoO

Helen found her daughter looking intently at a local TV channel.

´Good morning. Did you sleep well Mia?´

Mia made a small sound in reply.

´When you got home last evening you went straight to bed. You didn't have a fight with Lilly, did you?´

´No.´

´You talked about your car and stuff?´

Mia sort of nodded.

An item about day care centres reached its conclusion and the news continued with the upcoming elections for the DA's office.

´Did you know that in Genovia you can't drive a car until you're twenty-one?´

´Oh.´

When the weather forecast started Mia announced that she was going to do some homework.

OoOoOoO

Joseph helped Charlotte to carry some files to her desk and then returned to the Queen's office, locking the door behind him. His voluptuous lady was checking her bag.

´I dreamt of you,´ Joseph said when he stood in front of her. He took her hand and bent over to kiss it. ´I fantasized about you. _You_ as I've seen you last night.´

Clarisse looked at Joseph's skull. She was moved by his gesture.

´Was it satisfying?´

´I was en el séptimo cielo. I want you. The woman I see before me. The woman who is caressing my cheek right now.´

´And the sensitive skin under your eyes.´

´That very woman.´

´Who feels like kissing you senseless.´

´I will not object to that querida.´

OoOoOoO

Ten minutes before her grandmother was to arrive Mia tiptoed downstairs. She positioned herself near the front door along with an obligingly cuddlesome Louie.

Helen was folding towels when the bell rang. She hurried to the ground floor.

´- came to apologize last evening,´ Helen heard her daughter say.

´And then…these cops and an attacker -´ Mia added before her voice failed and she started crying.

The Queen and Joseph looked shocked.

´Mia?´ Helen said. Before Clarisse could comfort her little girl Helen pulled Mia away to embrace her tightly.

´What is this about?´ Helen demanded, looking over Mia's shoulder at the Queen.

´I… I…´ Mia started.

´It's OK baby.´

´There was a man in the consulate's gardens who attacked me. Fortunately Joseph was there too.´

´I _saw_ that man,´ Mia said with difficulty, ´He was covered in _blood_!´

´I knocked him down,´ Joseph said in the same casual tone as the Queen had used.

Mia broke her mother's embrace but Helen put her arm around her shoulders to keep her close.

While wiping her cheeks with her sleeve Mia said: ´Lilly asked a cop if anyone got hurt. He said no and I just left.´

´That's all right darling. It must have been unpleasant to witness.´

´_Unpleasant_! How can you be so…´ Mia said, shaking her head.

The Queen caressed her granddaughter's face.

´Shall we sit down?´ she suggested.

Joseph helped the Queen out of her coat.

´I'm sorry for saying that I didn't want to turn into you. It was unkind. That's what I came to tell you.´

´Thank you dear,´ the Queen managed.

´Do you know who the attacker was?´ Helen inquired. She now understood why her daughter had been watching the local channel.

´He was the son of a former courtier.´

Mia dropped herself on the arm rest of a chair.

´When was the last time you had to protect me Joseph?´ the Queen pleasantly chatted as she elegantly sat down on a couch.

´That was two months ago when I had to scare away a mouse in the gardens,´ Joseph replied with just the right amount of humour and respect in his voice and countenance.

´Tosh!´

Mia didn't grin. Mia didn't smile. The Queen got sick at heart.

´But other than that… In '91 there was this man who threw paint at His Majesty,´ Joseph recalled.

´Ah yes, the colour the world activist,´ the Queen replied with a smile. ´A real attack is rare and fortu-´

´I can't do it!´ Mia burst out.

Helen inhaled sharply. When no one spoke Mia forced herself to look at her grandmother who bit her lower lip. Mia felt her eyes get moist. Seeing some fluff on the back rest of her chair she stood behind it and removed it. Now having a barrier between herself and the woman she needed to justify herself too, she started talking, raking the back rest with her nails as she did.

´I really thought it over grandma! I really did. I know what it means to you. I considered what it would mean to Genovia. I kept wondering whether dad would have wanted me to be his heir.´

She inhaled deeply before continuing. ´He took a risk when he allowed mum to raise me here. I am _free_ grandma. I never realised it until I met you. What you said about the good things of being a queen, I can see that. I _can_. But there are _so many bad_ things. One of them is being a public figure and getting attacked by lunatics. People will gossip about me too. I don't want all that. I _do_ want to make a difference but in my _own_ way. On my own conditions.´

The silence that followed was broken by the Queen.

´That was quite a speech Amelia.´

The Queen patted the seat next to hers. Mia, with her eyes cast down, sat down next to her grandmother. When the Queen smiled at her reassuringly Mia started crying again.

´I'm sorry grandma!´

´I know that darling.´

The Queen put her arm around Mia's shoulder and the girl, feeling tired, leaned against her. The Queen kissed her head.

´Will I see you again grandma?´

´I very much hope so.´

´Really?´

´Oh little one,´ the Queen said, caressing Amelia's hair, ´You are my son's daughter. I wanted to meet you from the day you were born. You choosing your own path isn't going to make me abandon you.´

´I'll make tea,´ Helen offered. Apart from the moment when she'd first held her daughter, she had never been so happy. She smiled radiantly at the kitchen wall telling herself that she should check that smile when facing Clarisse. With the war won she could sympathize with the defeated party and she found it only natural to admire the way Clarisse bore her loss.

OoOoOoO

Mia, having been relieved of a heavy burden and wanting her grandmother to know that she really liked her a lot, chatted along. She asked about her Genovian family, she told her grandmother about her aunt Sofia and her cousins and she insisted to show her around the house.

The Queen put down her cup of tea and accepted Mia's hand to be given the full tour.

Fat Louie and Mr Romero followed close by.

Helen brought the cups to the sink and buried her face in a kitchen towel to muffle her cries of joy.

When the bell rang she sprinkled some water in her face before answering the door.

´Hello Lilly.´

´She said no,´ the girl concluded.

_I__'__m an open book to a fifteen year old_, Helen said to herself.

´Yes she did.´

Lilly nodded. ´After last eve- I mean- ´

´She _told_ me that the two of you went to the consulate. Was the attacker really covered in blood?´

Lilly shrugged. ´His nose had been bleeding and it got on his clothes. Nose looked broken too.´

´What did you see?´

´He was handcuffed. They tried to get him to a car but he was furious. He called Mia's grandmother names.´

´Fortunately she didn't get hurt,´ Helen replied.

From somewhere in the house Mia's laughter rose.

´That has been some days,´ Lilly observed.

OoOoOoO

The Queen was kind and efficient when discussing something with the butler. She was patient and clear when explaining something to Charlotte. She was charming and intelligent when talking to the President of the United States who had called her to express his regret that she had been attacked.

Joseph, who had held her hand on the way back to the consulate, admired her more than ever but he also saw the tragedy of her being the poised lady she was.

_I am the luckiest man in the world for being her mate_, Joseph told himself. His mind drifted away to the previous evening. He didn't notice that Clarisse ended the call and dialled another number.

Clarisse, seeing the smile adorning Joseph's face, turned her chair around for she needed to focus on her son. Her conversation with him took several minutes and the tension in her voice brought Joseph back to earth.

After Clarisse put the receiver down she kept staring at the telephone.

´I feel guilty,´ Joseph said.

Clarisse looked up sharply.

´If I had personally checked the garden I would have found Chanel. He wouldn't have attacked you, your granddaughter wouldn't have been scared away and she - ´

´Would still have said no,´ the Queen interrupted.

They sat down on a sofa.

´Oh Joseph. When we left Pyrus I was so confident that it would all work out fine. I simply couldn't imagine Genovia without House Renaldi. But I'm unable to look at a queen's life from an outsider's point of view.´

Joseph pulled Clarisse toward him.

´It wasn't you.´

´It _was_. _I_ couldn't persuade her to serve Genovia.´

´If _you_ couldn't do it, _no one_ could.´

´But it was _my_ task Joseph.´

´And one you've executed with wisdom and sensitivity.´

Joseph didn't have to see his beloved's face to know she needed his handkerchief.

´I'd better call the Prime Minister,´ Clarisse remarked some time later on.

´What did Pierre say?´

´He agreed to come to the Castle so we can talk face to face.´

´Pierre loves Genovia.´

´Yes, he does. And I know him through and through. I will play him to the best of my abilities. He _has_ to accept.´

After a hearty lunch with Joseph Clarisse felt better. Joseph's loving gaze, as warming as it was in itself, brought back flashes of their love-making and Clarisse felt wanted and powerful. It also made her feel inspirational.

OoOoOoO

Helen had invited Clarisse to visit on Monday in the afternoon, when Mia would be home from school. She had just contacted a caterer who would deliver a first class meal for five, when the phone rang. It was Clarisse who asked her if she would mind if she bought Amelia's Mustang for a birthday present. Being a generous victor Helen didn't object.

OoOoOoO

´I bought the safety vests for in the car, the first aid kit, the fire extinguisher and the _thingy_ to put a _mobile telephone_ in,´ Joseph said.

´You are mocking me sir. _She_ may smirk too but it is safe to have those things in your car and they will remind her of me.´

´She won't forget you mi amor.´

It was early in the evening yet Clarisse had retired for the night. Joseph had done so too but after having a shower and a change of clothes he had slipped through the connecting door to enter his lover's suite. He was waiting outside her dressing room.

´I was thinking Joseph: _if_ Pierre accepts, he'll have to get married and start a family. I wouldn't be surprised if he would wait for his niece to get to know our country, lest she would say yes after all.´

´Yes?´

´So it is important to have Amelia visit Genovia soon. Wouldn't she and Lilly just _love_ spending a year or half a year as exchange students in Genovia? She can be anonymous. A daughter of a friend of Charlotte's say.´

The dressing room door opened. A delicious scent came waving toward Joseph and his eyes drank in the sight of Clarisse in a low-cut black evening gown with beads.

Joseph rose from his seat, his question as to _whom_ his beloved planned to influence with her exchange scheme quite forgotten.

Clarisse leant with her back against the wall, an elbow resting on the door's handle. She lifted her eyebrows and Joseph was lured into her arms.

OoOoOoO

It had been many years since Helen had tucked in her daughter.

Mia wanted to be told that uncle Pierre would say _yes_ and Helen assured her that he would.

´Everything is going to be OK, isn't it mum?´

´It's going to be _perfect_ Mia.´

Helen wandered downstairs, light –footed as an elf. She poured herself a glass of wine and thought merry thoughts. When she started yawning she called it a day. After checking if all doors were closed she blew out the candles she had lit. It didn't darken the room for a table-lamp was burning, illuminating a silver picture frame.

Helen walked toward it, feeling Philippe gaze at her. She picked up the photo and caressed the face of her ex-husband.

´She found out who she is,´ she whispered. ´She is _free_. And she will travel her road as a free woman.´

Helen put down the picture and switched off the light.


End file.
